Abstract
Magnetic iron oxide (Magnetite, Fe3O4) nanoparticles are widely utilized in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and drug delivery applications due to their superparamagnetism. Surface coatings are often employed to change the properties of the magnetite nanoparticles or to modulate their biological responses. In this study, magnetite nanoparticles were fabricated through hydrothermal synthesis. Hydrophobicity is often increased by surface modification with oleic acid. In this study, however, hydrophobicity was introduced through surface modification with n-octyltriethoxysilane. Both the uncoated (hydrophilic) and coated (hydrophobic) individual nanoparticle sizes measured below 20 nm in diameter, a size range in which magnetite nanoparticles exhibit superparamagnetism. Both types of nanoparticles formed aggregates which were characterized by SEM, TEM, and dynamic light scattering (DLS). The coating process significantly increased both individual particle diameter and aggregate sizes. We tested the neurotoxicity of newly synthesized nanoparticles with two mammalian cell lines, PC12 (rat pheochromocytoma) and ReNcell VM (human neural stem cells). Significant differences were observed in cytotoxicity profiles, which suggests that the cell type (rodent versus human) or the presence of serum matters for nanoparticle toxicology studies. Differences in nanoparticle associations/uptake between the two cell types were observed with Prussian Blue staining. Finally, safe concentrations which did not significantly affect neuronal differentiation profiles were identified for further development of the nanoparticles.
Highlights
Magnetic nanoparticles (NPs), usually made from iron (II, III) oxide, are widely utilized in various biomedical applications such as targeted drug delivery [1,2] and as contrast agents in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) [3,4,5]
For transmission electron microscopy (TEM), dried hydrophilic and hydrophobic nanoparticles were suspended at a concentration of 100 μg/mL and 2 μL of this suspension was added to a TEM grid
The nanomaterials were further surface functionalized with n-octyltriethoxysilane to increase hydrophobicity which resulted in decreased cytotoxic effects
Summary
Magnetic nanoparticles (NPs), usually made from iron (II, III) oxide (magnetite, Fe3O4), are widely utilized in various biomedical applications such as targeted drug delivery [1,2] and as contrast agents in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) [3,4,5]. At a small enough size, only a single domain will be formed, leading to strong magnetization within a magnetic field. This phenomenon, called superparamagnetism, occurs in nanoparticles of a certain size. A notable property of superparamagnetic materials is that they are unable to retain their magnetization when the magnetic field is removed. This lack of magnetic memory allows the nanoparticles to not aggregate due to magnetic polarity, Nanomaterials 2019, 9, 453; doi:10.3390/nano9030453 www.mdpi.com/journal/nanomaterials. U[2l6t–im30a]t.elUy,lwtimhialteealyc,erwtahiniledeagreceerotafinneudreogtorexeiciotyf hnaesubreoetonxoicbistyervheadsfrboementheosbesenravneodpafrrtoimclest,hiet sies dnaifnfiocpualtrttioclceos,mitpiasrdeieffxicisutlitntgobcioomlopgaicrealerxeissutilntgs bbeiotwloegeicnalstruedsuieltssdbueetwtoeednifsfteurdeniecseds uine tNoPdisfyfenrtehnecseiss cinonNdPitiosynns,thsuesrfisacceomndoidtiiofincas,tiosunrsf,aacnedmceoldl itfyicpaetsi.oAnss, saenedn icnelFligtyuprees1., Athse smeeaninionbjFeicgtuivree o1f, tthhise smtuadiny wobajsectotiveevaloufattehtishesntueudryotowxaicsitytoofemvaalgunaetetitethNePns esuyrnothtoexsiiczietdy voiaf hmydagrontehteitremaNl PsysntshyenstihsewsiizthedPCv1i2a rhaytdprhoetohcehrmroaml osycynttohmesaisawndithRePNCc1e2llrVatMp,haenocimhrmomorotacylitzoemd ahuanmdanRenNeucrealll VstMem, acnelilmlimneo[r3ta1l]i.zCedomhupmareadn tnoeunreaulrsatlesmtecmellcelilnlse, [t3h1e].PCCo1m2 pcealrleldinteo inseaunrailnsetxepmencseilvlse, tmheodPeCl1f2orcenlel ulirnoeniaslasntuidnieexspaenndsivheasmboedeenl ufotrilinzeeudrofonralnsatnuodpieasrtainclde htoaxsibcoeelonguytisltiuzeddiefso[r3n2a].noApdadrtiitciolentaollxyi,cowloegeyvsatluudatieesh[o3w2].bAiodldoigtiiocanlarlleys,uwltes aervealauffaetcetehdowwhbeinoliorognicaolxirdeesunlatsnoamreataefrfieacltsedarewchoeantedirownithoxnid-oectnyaltnroiemthaotexryiasillsanaere, wcohaictehdrewsuitlhts innhoyctdyrlotrpiehtohboixcyssuilrafancee,sw. hich results in hydrophobic surfaces
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