Synthesis of Photoactive SPIONs Doped with Visible Light Activated Photosensitizer

Abstract

We have synthesized low cost and water dispersed citric acid coated iron-oxide nanoparticles at room temperature. TEM data were 10 shown the average diameter of these nanoparticles around 15 nm and XRD were then used to the crystalline nature of these particles. VSM experiment showed that these nanoparticles are superparamagnetic, with high magnetization (78 emu/g). In vitro studies have shown that these nanoparticles are nontoxic to human cells in culture. The citric acid coated superparamagnetic iron-oxide nanoparticles (CA-SPIONs) conjugated with a photosensitizer (PS-CA-SPIONs) for applications in photodynamic therapy (PDT). These PS-CA- SPIONs, stably-dispersed in aqueous medium, was characterized using optical studies. An Experiment involving light-activated 15 generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) revealed that only the PS-CA-SPIONs, but not free PS, could generate the cytotoxic singlet oxygen. Cell viability studies demonstrated PDT-mediated cytotoxic effects on cells treated with PS-CA-SPIONs and irradiated with light. The results indicate the potential of PS-CA-SPIONs as delivery agents in (photodynamic therapy.