Facile synthesis, characterization of various polymer immobilized on magnetite nanoparticles applying the coprecipitation method

Therapeutic Approaches with Iron Oxide Nanoparticles to Induce Ferroptosis and Overcome Radioresistance in Cancers

The emergence of nanotechnology in medicine, particularly using iron oxide nanoparticles (IONPs), may impact cancer treatment strategies. IONPs exhibit unique properties, such as superparamagnetism, biocompatibility, and ease of surface modification, making them ideal candidates for imaging, and therapeutic interventions. Their application in targeted drug delivery, especially with traditional chemotherapeutic agents like cisplatin, has shown potential in overcoming limitations such as low bioavailability and systemic toxicity of chemotherapies. Moreover, IONPs, by releasing iron ions, can induce ferroptosis, a form of iron-dependent cell death, which offers a promising pathway to reverse radio- and chemoresistance in cancer therapy. In particular, IONPs demonstrate significant potential as radiosensitisers, enhancing the effects of radiotherapy by promoting reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, lipid peroxidation, and modulating the tumour microenvironment to stimulate antitumour immune responses. This review explores the multifunctional roles of IONPs in radiosensitisation through ferroptosis induction, highlighting their promise in advancing treatment for head and neck cancers. Additional research is crucial to fully addressing their potential in clinical settings, offering a novel approach to personalised cancer treatment.

Biosynthesized Silver Nanoparticles from Cyperus conglomeratus Root Extract Inhibit Osteogenic Differentiation of Immortalized Mesenchymal Stromal Cells

BACKGROUND

Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are a focus of huge interest in biological research, including stem cell research. AgNPs synthesized using Cyperus conglomeratus root extract have been previously reported but their effects on mesenchymal stromal cells have yet to be investigated.

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of C. conglomeratus-derived AgNPs on adipogenesis and osteogenesis of mesenchymal stromal cells.

METHODS

AgNPs were synthesized using C. conglomeratus root extract, and the phytochemicals involved in AgNPs synthesis were analyzed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GCMS). The cytotoxicity of the AgNPs was tested on telomerase-transformed immortalized human bone marrow-derived MSCs-hTERT (iMSC3) and human osteosarcoma cell line (MG-63) using MTT and apoptosis assays. The uptake of AgNPs by both cells was confirmed using inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES). Furthermore, the effect of AgNPs on iMSC3 adipogenesis and osteogenesis was analyzed using stain quantification and reverse transcription- quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR).

RESULTS

The phytochemicals predominately identified in both the AgNPs and C. conglomeratus root extract were carbohydrates. The AgNP concentrations tested using MTT and apoptosis assays (0.5-64 µg/ml and 1,4 and 32 µg/ml, respectively) showed no significant cytotoxicity on iMSC3 and MG-63. The AgNPs were internalized in a concentration-dependent manner in both cell types. Additionally, the AgNPs exhibited a significant negative effect on osteogenesis but not on adipogenesis.

CONCLUSION

C. conglomeratus-derived AgNPs had an impact on the differentiation capacity of iMSC3. Our results indicated that C. conglomeratus AgNPs and the associated phytochemicals could exhibit potential medical applications.

Optimized synthesis of polyacrylic acid-coated magnetic nanoparticles for high-efficiency DNA isolation and size selection

Solid-phase reversible immobilization (SPRI) bead technology is widely used in molecular biology for convenient DNA manipulation. However, commercial SPRI bead kits lack cost advantages and flexibility. It is, therefore, necessary to develop new and alternative cost-effective methods of on-par or better quality. Herein, an easy and cost-effective method is proposed for synthesizing polyacrylic acid-coated iron oxide nanoparticles (PAA-IONPs) through in situ polymerization at lab scale for high-efficiency nucleic acid extraction and size selection. A design of experiment (DoE) approach was used to investigate the influence of iron oxide nanoparticles (IONPs), acrylic acid (AA) monomer, and sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) surfactant amounts on the sizes and carboxyl group densities of PAA-IONPs. Thorough characterization by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), attenuated total reflection Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) and vibrating sample magnetometry (VSM) highlights the importance of a low starting pH achieved by a high ratio of AA/IONPs, to yield the largest sizes (554 nm) and highest carboxyl group densities (2.13 mmol g-1) obtained in this study. An efficient DNA purification strategy is then presented using homemade beads-suspension buffer and optimized bead concentrations (17% PEG 8000, 2.5 M NaCl, and 3 mg mL-1 PAA-IONPs). This method shows comparable performance to the control (AMPure XP beads) for DNA recovery. An adjustable PAA-IONPs DNA purification system was also developed to be used for DNA-size selection at low DNA amounts (50-100 ng) with a high degree of resolution and recovery. In conclusion, this work offers an optimized PAA-IONPs synthesis protocol and a flexible DNA purification approach that will enable researchers to manipulate DNA under various conditions, holding the significant potential to benefit future molecular biology research and diagnostics.

Dual-Stimuli-Sensitive Smart Hydrogels Containing Magnetic Nanoparticles as Antitumor Local Drug Delivery Systems-Synthesis and Characterization

The aim of this study was to develop an innovative, dual-stimuli-responsive smart hydrogel local drug delivery system (LDDS), potentially useful as an injectable simultaneous chemotherapy and magnetic hyperthermia (MHT) antitumor treatment device. The hydrogels were based on a biocompatible and biodegradable poly(ε-caprolactone-co-rac-lactide)-b-poly(ethylene glycol)-b-poly(ε-caprolactone-co-rac-lactide) (PCLA-PEG-PCLA, PCLA) triblock copolymer, synthesized via ring-opening polymerization (ROP) in the presence of a zirconium(IV) acetylacetonate (Zr(acac)4) catalyst. The PCLA copolymers were successfully synthesized and characterized using NMR and GPC techniques. Furthermore, the gel-forming and rheological properties of the resulting hydrogels were thoroughly investigated, and the optimal synthesis conditions were determined. The coprecipitation method was applied to create magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (MIONs) with a low diameter and a narrow size distribution. The magnetic properties of the MIONs were close to superparamagnetic upon TEM, DLS, and VSM analysis. The particle suspension placed in an alternating magnetic field (AMF) of the appropriate parameters showed a rapid increase in temperature to the values desired for hyperthermia. The MIONs/hydrogel matrices were evaluated for paclitaxel (PTX) release in vitro. The release was prolonged and well controlled, displaying close to zero-order kinetics; the drug release mechanism was found to be anomalous. Furthermore, it was found that the simulated hyperthermia conditions had no effect on the release kinetics. As a result, the synthesized smart hydrogels were discovered to be a promising antitumor LDDS, allowing simultaneous chemotherapy and hyperthermia treatment.

Magnetite-Based Biosensors and Molecular Logic Gates: From Magnetite Synthesis to Application

In the last few decades, point-of-care (POC) sensors have become increasingly important in the detection of various targets for the early diagnostics and treatment of diseases. Diverse nanomaterials are used as building blocks for the development of smart biosensors and magnetite nanoparticles (MNPs) are among them. The intrinsic properties of MNPs, such as their large surface area, chemical stability, ease of functionalization, high saturation magnetization, and more, mean they have great potential for use in biosensors. Moreover, the unique characteristics of MNPs, such as their response to external magnetic fields, allow them to be easily manipulated (concentrated and redispersed) in fluidic media. As they are functionalized with biomolecules, MNPs bear high sensitivity and selectivity towards the detection of target biomolecules, which means they are advantageous in biosensor development and lead to a more sensitive, rapid, and accurate identification and quantification of target analytes. Due to the abovementioned properties of functionalized MNPs and their unique magnetic characteristics, they could be employed in the creation of new POC devices, molecular logic gates, and new biomolecular-based biocomputing interfaces, which would build on new ideas and principles. The current review outlines the synthesis, surface coverage, and functionalization of MNPs, as well as recent advancements in magnetite-based biosensors for POC diagnostics and some perspectives in molecular logic, and it also contains some of our own results regarding the topic, which include synthetic MNPs, their application for sample preparation, and the design of fluorescent-based molecular logic gates.

Native Study of the Behaviour of Magnetite Nanoparticles for Hyperthermia Treatment during the Initial Moments of Intravenous Administration

Magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) present outstanding properties making them suitable as therapeutic agents for hyperthermia treatments. Since the main safety concerns of MNPs are represented by their inherent instability in a biological medium, strategies to both achieve long-term stability and monitor hazardous MNP degradation are needed. We combined a dynamic approach relying on flow field flow fractionation (FFF)-multidetection with conventional techniques to explore frame-by-frame changes of MNPs injected in simulated biological medium, hypothesize the interaction mechanism they are subject to when surrounded by a saline, protein-rich environment, and understand their behaviour at the most critical point of intravenous administration. In the first moments of MNPs administration in the patient, MNPs change their surrounding from a favorable to an unfavorable medium, i.e., a complex biological fluid such as blood; the particles evolve from a synthetic identity to a biological identity, a transition that needs to be carefully monitored. The dynamic approach presented herein represents an optimal alternative to conventional batch techniques that can monitor only size, shape, surface charge, and aggregation phenomena as an averaged information, given that they cannot resolve different populations present in the sample and cannot give accurate information about the evolution or temporary instability of MNPs. The designed FFF method equipped with a multidetection system enabled the separation of the particle populations providing selective information on their morphological evolution and on nanoparticle-proteins interaction in the very first steps of infusion. Results showed that in a dynamic biological setting and following interaction with serum albumin, PP-MNPs retain their colloidal properties, supporting their safety profile for intravenous administration.