Gadolinium-loaded chitosan nanoparticles for neutron-capture therapy: Influence of micrometric properties of the nanoparticles on tumor-killing effect

• Gadolinium-loaded chitosan nanoparticles (Gd-nanoCPs) for GdNCT were applied to melanoma-bearing mice.
• GdNCT after intratumoral injection of Gd-nanoCPs showed a significant tumor-growth suppression effect.
• Micrometric properties of Gd-nanoCPs were important factors determining GdNCT effect in vivo.
• Gd-nanoCPs with a smaller particle size demonstrated an enhanced tumor-killing effect.

As a nanoparticulate device for controlled delivery of Gd in NCT, the authors have developed gadolinium-loaded chitosan nanoparticles (Gd-nanoCPs). In the present study, influence of micrometric properties such as particle size, particle-surface charge and Gd content of Gd-nanoCPs on tumor-killing effect by Gd-NCT was investigated with Gd-nanoCPs. Two types of Gd-nanoCPs with different mean particle size, zeta potential and Gd-content (Gd-nanoCP-400; 391 nm, 28 mV, 9 wt% and Gd-nanoCP-200; 214 nm, 19 mV, 24 wt%) could be prepared by using chitosans with different molecular weights. Gd-nanoCPs incorporating 1.2 mg of natural Gd were injected intratumorally once or twice to mice subcutaneously-bearing B16F10 melanoma. Eight hours after the last administration, thermal neutron was irradiated to tumor region of the mice. Remarkable tumor-growth was observed in both hot and cold control groups. In contrast, Gd-NCT groups showed significant tumor-growth suppression effect, though their efficacy was found to depend on the micrometric properties of Gd-nanoCPs. In particular, the Gd-nanoCP-200 exhibited stronger tumor-killing effect than the Gd-nanoCP-400 at the same Gd dose and it was still similar to Gd-nanoCP-400 in tumor-growth suppressing effect even at the half of Gd dose of Gd-nanoCP-400. This significance in tumor-killing effect would be ascribed from a higher Gd retention in the tumor tissue and an improved distribution of Gd with intratumorally administered Gd-nanoCP-200. Indeed, the Gd concentration in tumor tissue at the time corresponding to the onset of thermal neutron irradiation was determined to be significantly higher in Gd-nanoCP-200, compared with Gd-nanoCP-400. These results demonstrated that appropriate modification of Gd-nanoCPs in micrometric properties would be an effective way to improve the retention of Gd in the tumor tissue after intratumoral injection, leading to the enhanced tumor-killing effect in Gd-NCT.