Abstract
The in vivo distribution of 50 nm clusters of polyethylene glycol-conjugated superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs-PEG) was conducted in this study. SPIONs-PEG were synthesized de novo, and their structure and paramagnetic behaviors were analyzed by specific methods (TEM, DLS, XRD, VSM). Wistar rats were treated with 10 mg Fe/kg body weight SPIONs-PEG and their organs and blood were examined at two intervals for short-term (15, 30, 60, 180 min) and long-term (6, 12, 24 h) exposure evaluation. Most exposed organs were investigated through light and transmission electron microscopy, and blood and urine samples were examined through fluorescence spectrophotometry. SPIONs-PEG clusters entered the bloodstream after intraperitoneal and intravenous administrations and ended up in the urine, with the highest clearance at 12 h. The skin and spleen were within normal histological parameters, while the liver, kidney, brain, and lungs showed signs of transient local anoxia or other transient pathological affections. This study shows that once internalized, the synthesized SPIONs-PEG disperse well through the bloodstream with minor to nil induced tissue damage, are biocompatible, have good clearance, and are suited for biomedical applications.
Highlights
Designing a new drug delivery system always brings a series of limitations, regardless of its use and especially when nanotechnology is involved
10 nm Fe3 O4 crystallites were obtained through a coprecipitation method under hot conditions, cooled precipitates were magnetically separated from the remaining reactants, washed, and dried
For transmission electron microscopy (TEM), the water-dispersed sample was placed on a 200 mesh copper grid and imaged using a scanning-transmission electron microscope (STEM) Hitachi HD2700 (Hitachi, Tokyo, Japan) at 200 kV, and coupled with EDX detector
Summary
Designing a new drug delivery system always brings a series of limitations, regardless of its use and especially when nanotechnology is involved. The amount of resources invested in superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs) only is concrete proof that no matter how much information is acquired along the way, there are still some questions left unanswered [4] Such questions are connected to the extent of damages that nanoparticles (NPs) could induce at subcellular levels [5]; the in vivo behavior after in vitro testing [6,7]; and, most importantly, the pathway through which NPs, especially SPIONs, enter the cells [8], after which comes the long term effects that may or may not affect future generations [9,10]. Some of the parameters that decide the fate of SPIONs are related to the synthesis method [6,19], the biocompatible polymers used to form their shell [20,21], and their ‘final destination’ They can be designed to enhance contrast in MRI patients, where they are retained for short periods, or target specific zones in the human body, requiring long-term treatments. Due to their size, they can interfere with normal metabolic activities in the cells
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