Magnetic nanoemulsions as candidates for Alzheimer’s disease dual imaging theranostics

Abstract

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most prevalent cause of dementia linked to the accumulation of amyloid-beta (Aβ) plaques-fibrils that impair cognitive functions. Magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) are emerging as promising tools for the crusade against AD owning to appropriate biocompatibility and facile functionalization that can lead to theranostic agents. Herein, the fabrication of a multimodal (magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), fluorescence imaging, and drug carrier) magnetic nanoemulsion (MNE) is reported as an AD theranostic candidate. Initially zinc ferrite MNPs of high saturation magnetization (129 emu g−1) were synthesized through a modified microwave-assisted polyol process. Memantine (a registered AD drug) was labeled with fluorescein (Mem-Flu) and encapsulated with the MNPs in sodium dodecyl sulfate micelles to form the MNE. Small hydrodynamic size (107), high encapsulation (77.5%) and loading efficiencies (86.1%) and sufficient transverse relaxivity (48.7 mM−1 s−1) were achieved through the design while sustained release of Mem-Flu was unveiled by in zero-order, first-order, Higuchi and Korsmeyer–Peppas pharmacokinetic models. Moreover, the MNE acquired fluorescence imaging ability of Aβ1–42 peptide monomers and/or plaques-fibrils via the fluorescein labeling of Memantine. A novel inorganic-organic hybrid multimodal AD theranostic candidate is presented.