ABSTRACT
The human lung adenocarcinoma epithelial (A549) cells and the human embryo lung (HEL 12469) cells were used to investigate the uptake and cytotoxicity of magnetite nanoparticles (MNPs) with different chemically modified surfaces. MNPs uptake was an energy-dependent process substantially affected by the serum concentration in the culture medium. Internalized MNPs localized in vesicle-bound aggregates were observed in the cytoplasm, none in the nucleus or in mitochondria. All MNPs induced a dose- and time-dependent increase in cytotoxicity in both human lung cell lines. The cytotoxicity of MNPs increased proportionally with the particle size. Since the cytotoxicity of MNPs was nearly identical when the doses were equalized based on particle surface area, we suppose that the particle surface area rather than the surface modifications per se underlay the cytotoxicity of MNPs. In general, higher internalized amount of MNPs was found in HEL 12469 cells compared with A549 cells. Accordingly, the viability of the human embryo lung cells was reduced more substantially than that of the adenocarcinoma lung cells. The weak MNPs uptake into A549 cells might be of biomedical relevance in cases where MNPs should be used as nanocarriers for targeted drug delivery in tumor tissue derived from alveolar epithelial cells.
Subject(s)
Adenocarcinoma/drug therapy , Cell Proliferation/drug effects , Drug Delivery Systems , Ferric Compounds/pharmacology , Lung Neoplasms/drug therapy , Lung/drug effects , Magnetite Nanoparticles , Adenocarcinoma/pathology , Cells, Cultured , Diploidy , Embryo, Mammalian/cytology , Embryo, Mammalian/drug effects , Humans , Lung/cytology , Lung Neoplasms/pathology , Microscopy, Electron, Transmission , Particle Size , Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared , Surface PropertiesABSTRACT
In this work we describe the observations of structural transitions in ferronematics based on the thermotropic nematics 6CHBT (4-trans-4'-n-hexyl-cyclohexyl-isothiocyanato-benzene). The ferronematic droplets were observed in solutions of nematogenic 6CHBT dissolved in phenyl isocyanate and doped with fine magnetic particles. The phase diagram of the transitions from the isotropic phase to the nematic phase via a droplet state was found. Magneto-dielectric measurements of various structural transitions in this new system enabled us to estimate the type of anchoring of the nematic molecules on the magnetic particle surfaces in the droplets.
ABSTRACT
In this study, we have prepared PLGA (poly-D,L-lactide-co-glycolide) nanospheres loaded with biocompatible magnetic fluid and anticancer drug taxol by a modified nanoprecipitation technique and investigated their magnetic properties. A magnetic fluid, MF-PEG, with a biocompatible layer of polyethylene glycol (PEG), was chosen as a magnetic carrier. The PLGA, whose copolymer ratio of D,L-lactide to glycolide is 85:15, was utilized as a capsulation material. Taxol, as an important anticancer drug, was chosen for its significant role against a wide range of tumours. The morphology and particle size distributions of the prepared nanospheres were investigated by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and showed a spherical shape of prepared nanospheres with size 250 nm. Infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermogravimetry (TGA) analysis confirmed incorporation of magnetic particles and taxol into the PLGA polymer. The results showed good encapsulation with magnetite content 21.5 wt% and taxol 0.5 wt%. Magnetic properties of magnetic fluids and taxol within the PLGA polymer matrix were investigated by SQUID magnetometry from 4.2 to 300 K. The SQUID measurements showed superparamagnetism of prepared nanospheres with a blocking temperature of 160 K and saturation magnetization 1.4 mT.
