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Magnetic nanoparticles: reactive oxygen species generation and potential therapeutic applications

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Abstract

Magnetic nanoparticles have been demonstrated to produce reactive oxygen species (ROS), which play a major role in various cellular pathways, via Fenton and Haber-Weiss reaction. ROS act as a double-edged sword inside the body. At normal conditions, the generation of ROS is in balance with their elimination by scavenger systems, and they can promote cell proliferation as well as differentiation. However, at an increased level, they can cause damages to protein, lead to cellular apoptosis, and contribute to many diseases including cancer. Many recent studies proposed a variety of strategies to either suppress toxicity of ROS generation or exploit the elevated ROS levels for cancer therapy.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, 40506, USA

    Trang Mai & J. Zach Hilt

  2. Institute of Materials Science, Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, Hanoi, Vietnam

    Trang Mai

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  1. Trang Mai
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  2. J. Zach Hilt
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Correspondence to J. Zach Hilt.

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Mai, T., Hilt, J.Z. Magnetic nanoparticles: reactive oxygen species generation and potential therapeutic applications. J Nanopart Res 19, 253 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11051-017-3943-2

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