ABSTRACT
New synthesis techniques are providing increasing control over many inorganic nanoparticle characteristics, facilitating the creation of new multifunctional theranostics. This report proposes the synthesis and testing of a combination nanoparticle comprised of a maghemite core for enhanced T2 MRI contrast diagnostics, a colloidal silver shell acting as an antimicrobial and therapeutic vehicle, and a ceragenin (CSA-124) surfactant providing microbial adhesion. A polyacrylic acid functionalized maghemite nanoparticle is synthesized by a high temperature organic phase reduction followed by thiol functionalization and gold cluster seeding. A silver shell is formed through AgNO3 reduction, and an oriented monolayer of the thiolated ceragenin, is bound through a self-assembly process. The process and products are characterized throughout synthesis through TEM, DLS, FT-IR, UV-Vis, ICP-OES, HPLC-ESI-TOF-MS, DC magnetization and susceptibility, X-ray diffraction, and in vitro MRI. Synthesized Diagnostic Antimicrobial Nanoparticles (DANs) were found to have a spherical morphology with a diameter of 32.47±1.83 nm, hydrodynamic diameter of 53.05±1.20 nm, maximum magnetic moment of 12 emu/g NP (54 emu/g Fe) with little variation due to temperature, and are predominantly paramagnetic. In vitro MRI studies show that DANs contrast well at concentrations as low as 9 ppm, and successfully adhere to Staphylococcus aureus. DAN MIC was determined to be approximately 12 ppm and 24 ppm against S. aureus and Escherichia coli respectively.
