Anticancer effect of magnetic fluid hyperthermia using poly(acrylic acid)-coated magnetic nanoparticles as evident by apoptosis of lung cancer cells A549.

Effective patient-centric cancer treatment necessitates a targeted approach with minimal toxic effects. Magnetic Fluid Hyperthermia (MFH) utilizing iron oxide-based magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) is one such promising cancer therapeutic strategy. In this study, magnetic fluid comprising polyacrylic acid (PAA)-coated Mn0.9Zn0.1Fe2O4 MNPs was synthesized, characterised, and evaluated for its biocompatibility, uptake, and apoptosis-inducing effect on lung cancer cells A549 and normal lung fibroblast WI38 in vitro. The biocompatibility of the nanoparticles was evaluated using the MTT assay, which showed negligible cytotoxic effects at concentrations up to 2 mg/mL. The internalization of the nanoparticles by the cells was confirmed within 24 h by the Prussian blue assay, and the amount of internalized iron was quantified by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry, yielding 18.78 and 26.64 pg per A549 and WI38 cell, respectively. During MFH, the nanoparticles-treated cells were exposed to a 10 kA/m magnetic field and 330 kHz frequency for 1 h, and experienced a high temperature of 42 to 45 °C. A single session of MFH was effective in killing over 80% of both A549 and WI38 cells. Hoechst-PI staining indicated apoptosis following MFH treatment, as evidenced by condensed and fragmented genome. Annexin-V/PI based flow cytometry quantification showed more than 98% A549 and WI38 cells, undergoing apoptosis subsequent to MFH. These findings emphasize the potential of PAA-coated Mn-Zn ferrite nanoparticles as effective agents for MFH-based cancer therapy, highlighting the need for downstream translational investigations to establish their therapeutic efficacy.