title: Magnetized aerosols comprising superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles improve targeted drug and gene delivery to the lung.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Targeted delivery of aerosols could not only improve efficacy of inhaled drugs but also reduce side effects resulting from their accumulation in healthy tissue. Here we investigated the impact of magnetized aerosols on model drug accumulation and transgene expression in magnetically targeted lung regions of unanesthetized mice.
  
  
  METHODS
  Solutions containing superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs) and model drugs (fluorescein or complexed plasmid DNA) were nebulized to unanesthetized mice under the influence of an external magnetic gradient directed to the lungs. Drug accumulation and transgene expression was subsequently measured at different time points.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We could demonstrate 2-3 fold higher accumulation of the model drug fluorescein and specific transgene expression in lung regions of mice which had been exposed to an external magnetic gradient during nebulization compared to the control mice without any exposure to magnetic gradient.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Magnetized aerosols present themselves as an efficient approach for targeted pulmonary delivery of drugs and gene therapeutic agents in order to treat localized diseases of the deeper airways.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Lindwurmstr 2a, 80337 Munich, Germany.
authors.forename: Guenther
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Hasenpusch
authors.forename: Johannes
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Geiger
authors.forename: Kai
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Wagner
authors.forename: Olga
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Mykhaylyk
authors.forename: Frank
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Wiekhorst
authors.forename: Lutz
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Trahms
authors.forename: Alexandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Heidsieck
authors.forename: Bernhard
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Gleich
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bergemann
authors.forename: Manish K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Aneja
authors.forename: Carsten
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rudolph
mesh_terms: D000336:Aerosols / Q000737:chemistry*; D000818:Animals; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems; D005260:Female; D005290:Ferric Compounds; D019793:Fluorescein / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000494:pharmacology; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D018014:Gene Transfer Techniques; D005822:Genetic Vectors / Q000235:genetics; D008168:Lung / Q000378:metabolism*; D008280:Magnetics; D053768:Metal Nanoparticles; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D010957:Plasmids / Q000235:genetics; D019076:Transgenes / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D000336:Aerosols; D005290:Ferric Compounds; C000499:ferric oxide; D019793:Fluorescein