Folate ‐ Conjugated Magnetite Nanoparticles for Targeted Drug Delivery and Hyperthermia Applications

Abstract

Research in magnetic nanoparticles mediated drug delivery system for cancer therapy is of current demand due to its various attributes. It provides a way for ease of stimuli responsive drug delivery and also act as a hyperthermic agent. Folic acid is extensively used for functionalisation of nanoparticles (NP) as various cancerous cells show overexpression of folate receptors. In this article, we report folic acid conjugated magnetite (Fe3O4) NP by two different ways and characterised by XRD, SEM, UV, FTIR and Raman spectroscopy. The folic acid was conjugated by its amine and carboxyl groups respectively on the magnetite NP to bestow them with targeting abilities. The NP formed are spherical and the size ranges from 32–100 nm and are highly aqueous dispersible as evidenced through the wettability studies. The blank NP shows some cytotoxicity on the MCF‐7 breast cancer cells probably due to oxidative stress. The NP shows high DOX loading efficiency due to higher surface area and negative surface charge. The superior magnetic properties of the NP assures hyperthermic temperature of 41 °C within 49 sec for 2 mg/ml NP concentration at an applied current of 273 A and frequency 316 kHz.

The Fluorescent Cell Line SW620-GFP Is a Valuable Model to Monitor Magnetic Hyperthermia

“…For over 20 years, one of the most commonly used ferrofluids in MH [6] or other biomedical applications, like magnetically targeted drug delivery [7][8][9] or MRI [10,11], has been a colloidal suspension of iron oxide nanoparticles coated with folic acid or organic polymers, such as polyethylene glycol [12] or polyethylenimine [13]. These ferrofluids have gained popularity, due to the affinity of folic acid to the folate receptors, which are over-expressed in many cancer cells [14].…”