Radiofrequency enhances drug release from responsive nanoflowers for hepatocellular carcinoma therapy

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the sixth most common malignant tumor and the third leading cause of cancer death worldwide. Most patients are diagnosed at an advanced stage, and systemic chemotherapy is the preferred treatment modality for advanced HCC. Curcumin (CUR) is a polyphenolic antineoplastic drug with low toxicity obtained from plants. However, its low bioavailability and poor solubility limit its functionality. In this study, radiofrequency- (RF) enhanced responsive nanoflowers (NFs), containing superparamagnetic ferric oxide nanoclusters (Fe3O4 NCs), – CUR layer, – and MnO2 (CUR-Fe@MnO2 NFs), were verified to have a thermal therapeutic effect. Transmission electron microscopy was used to characterize the CUR-Fe@MnO2 NFs, which appeared flower-like with a size of 96.27 nm. The in vitro experimental data showed that RF enhanced the degradation of CUR-Fe@MnO2 NFs to release Mn2+ and CUR. The cytotoxicity test results indicated that after RF heating, the CUR-Fe@MnO2 NFs significantly suppressed HCC cell proliferation. Moreover, CUR-Fe@MnO2 NFs were effective T1/T2 contrast agents for molecular magnetic resonance imaging due to the release of Mn2+ and Fe3O4 NCs.