In Vitro and In Silico Evaluation of Metal Ion Chelated Natural Melanin Nanoparticles on Photothermal Therapy and Magnetic Resonance Performance

Authors : Melike Demirtaş, Şeyma Yektar, Gizem Kaleli Can, İbrahim Alpay Özcan, Engin Baysoy, Mustafa Kemal Ruhi

Pages : 90-99

Doi:10.29048/makufebed.1798224

View : 98 | Download : 156

Publication Date : 2025-12-29

Article Type : Research Paper

Abstract :Metal ion-chelated natural melanin nanoparticles exhibit strong potential for theranostic applications. However, cross-effects resulting from modifications, whether introduced externally or occurring spontaneously during application, such as the influence of metal ion chelation on photothermal therapy (PTT) efficiency and the effect of PTT-induced temperature changes on MRI contrast, remain poorly understood. This study investigates these interrelated effects through computational modelling and in vitro experiments. Melanin nanoparticles (MNPs) and metal ion-chelated MNPs are synthesized, characterized, and evaluated for cytotoxicity in PC-3 cells. The PTT performance of the less cytotoxic iron-chelated MNPs is compared to that of the unchelated form using COMSOL simulations and in vitro models. MRI contrast is also assessed before and after PTT. Both computational and experimental results show that Fe³+-chelated MNPs exhibit enhanced PTT performance compared to unchelated MNPs, along with a measurable decrease in MRI contrast following treatment. These findings suggest that Fe3+-chelated MNPs are promising theranostic agents capable of delivering effective PTT while enabling MRI-based dosimetric monitoring during cancer therapy.
Keywords : doğal melanin nanoparçacıkları, fototermal terapi, kanser terapileri, kontrast ajanları, manyetik rezonans görüntüleme

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