boron and Osteosarcoma

Topics: Animals; Autoradiography; Bone Neoplasms; Boron; Brain; Brain Neoplasms; Carcinoma, Ehrlich Tumor; Glioma; Humans; Hyperthermia, Induced; Isotopes; Melanoma; Meningeal Neoplasms; Meningioma; Neutrons; Nuclear Reactors; Osteosarcoma; Radiotherapy Dosage; Sarcoma; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

The possibility to measure boron concentration with high precision in tissues that will be irradiated represents a fundamental step for a safe and effective BNCT treatment. In Pavia, two techniques have been used for this purpose, a quantitative method based on charged particles spectrometry and a boron biodistribution imaging based on neutron autoradiography. A quantitative method to determine boron concentration by neutron autoradiography has been recently set-up and calibrated for the measurement of biological samples, both solid and liquid, in the frame of the feasibility study of BNCT. This technique was calibrated and the obtained results were cross checked with those of α spectrometry, in order to validate them. The comparisons were performed using tissues taken form animals treated with different boron administration protocols. Subsequently the quantitative neutron autoradiography was employed to measure osteosarcoma cell samples treated with BPA and with new boronated formulations.

Topics: Alpha Particles; Autoradiography; Boron; Boron Neutron Capture Therapy; Cell Line, Tumor; Diffusion; Humans; Isotopes; Neutrons; Osteosarcoma; Reproducibility of Results; Sensitivity and Specificity; Spectrum Analysis

In this paper we propose a bottom-up approach to obtain new boron carriers built with ortho-carborane functionalized gold nanoparticles (GNPs) for applications in Boron Neutron Capture Therapy. The interaction between carboranes and the gold surface was assured by one or two SH-groups directly linked to the boron atoms of the B10C2 cage. This allowed obtaining stable, nontoxic systems, though optimal biological performance was hampered by low solubility in aqueous media. To improve cell uptake, the hydrophilic character of carborane functionalized GNPs was enhanced by further coverage with an appropriately tailored diblock copolymer (PEO-b-PCL). This polymer also contained pendant carboranes to provide anchoring to the pre-functionalized GNPs. In vitro tests, carried out on osteosarcoma cells, showed that the final vectors possessed excellent biocompatibility joint to the capacity of concentrating boron atoms in the target, which is encouraging evidenced to pursue applications in vivo.

Topics: Animals; Boranes; Boron; Boron Neutron Capture Therapy; Cell Line, Tumor; Drug Carriers; Gold; Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions; Nanoparticles; Osteosarcoma; Polymers; Rats; Solubility; Water

Topics: Animals; Bone Neoplasms; Boron; Dog Diseases; Dogs; Isotopes; Neutrons; Osteosarcoma