Synthesis of theranostic Anti-EGFR ligand conjugate iron oxide nanoparticles for magnetic resonance imaging for treatment of liver cancer

Abstract In spite of its great potential in non-invasive therapy of cancers, the MRgFUS (magnetic resonance-guided focused ultrasound surgery) is now restricted because of the insensitivity of the MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) for the detection of minor tumors, damage to nearby tissues and low effectiveness of in vivo ultrasonic energy deposition. In this study, we demonstrated the formation of an active targeting PEGylated Fe3O4 NPs platform. We decorated the surfaces of PEGylated Fe3O4 NPs using anti-epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) for directed delivery to the liver cancer through EGFR overexpression. Further, the in-vitro cytotoxicity and cellular uptake studies against Hep G2 cells indicated that EGFR receptor mediated endocytosis could increase the uptake rate of PEGylated Fe3O4 NPs. Hence, this targeting PEGylated Fe3O4 NPs platform may have great potential for MRI treatment of liver cancer.