ORIGINAL RESEARCH article

Front. Bioeng. Biotechnol.

Sec. Nanobiotechnology

Volume 13 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fbioe.2025.1615863

Magnetic Drug-Loaded Microbubbles for Treating Lower Limb Venous Thrombosis under Controllable Rotating Magnetic Field

Provisionally accepted
Yu-Ming  HuangYu-Ming Huang1*Cheng-Rang  LiuCheng-Rang Liu2Yi-Qi  XuYi-Qi Xu3Chao  CaoChao Cao2Zhen-Gan  HuangZhen-Gan Huang4Hongwen  FeiHongwen Fei4*Yue-Shan  HuangYue-Shan Huang2*
  • 1Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Structural Heart Disease, Guangzhou Institute of Cardiovascular Disease, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
  • 2School of Materials Science and Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China
  • 3Department of Pediatrics, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
  • 4Department of Cardiac Surgery, Guangdong Cardiovascular Institute, Guangdong Provincial People’s Hospital, Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, Guangzhou, China

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

Objective: This study aimed to develop a poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA)-based magnetic loaded iron oxide (Fe3O4) and single-chain urokinase-type plasminogen activator (proUK) for enhancing thrombolysis under a controlled rotating magnetic field, specifically targeting acute lower limb venous thrombosis.Background: Acute thrombotic disorders are significant health threats, however, the exploration of magnetic actuation as a treatment for acute thrombosis has been limited.Methods: Magnetic microbubbles were prepared using a double emulsion method, loaded with Fe3O4 nanoparticles and proUK. The microbubble characteristics were analyzed through chemical, physical, and biological related technologies.Results: Fabricated via a double emulsion technique, these microbubbles demonstrated uniform particle size distribution, excellent dispersibility, and successful proUK loading while maintaining its activity. Thrombolysis efficiency was significantly enhanced under a rotating magnetic field of 1.5 mT and 6 Hz frequency, achieving up to 25% lysis rate in vitro, markedly higher than control conditions. Furthermore, in vivo experiments using a rabbit model of hindlimb venous thrombosis validated the efficacy of this approach, with Color Doppler Flow Imaging showing restored blood flow and elevated D-dimer levels indicating effective thrombus dissolution. Conclusion: This novel magnetic drug delivery system, combined with a rotating magnetic field, demonstrates excellent thrombolysis efficiency and presents a promising and safe therapeutic strategy for acute venous thrombosis.

Keywords: poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) microbubbles, Magnetic drug delivery, Rotating magnetic field, thrombolysis, single-chain urokinase-type plasminogen activator (proUK), acute lower limb venous thrombosis Author List

Received: 20 May 2025; Accepted: 01 Jul 2025.

Copyright: © 2025 Huang, Liu, Xu, Cao, Huang, Fei and Huang. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

* Correspondence:
Yu-Ming Huang, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Structural Heart Disease, Guangzhou Institute of Cardiovascular Disease, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
Hongwen Fei, Department of Cardiac Surgery, Guangdong Cardiovascular Institute, Guangdong Provincial People’s Hospital, Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, Guangzhou, China
Yue-Shan Huang, School of Materials Science and Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510641, Guangdong Province, China

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