Local Temperature Increments and Induced Cell Death in Intracellular Magnetic Hyperthermia.

The generation of temperature gradients on nanoparticles heated externally by a magnetic field is crucially important in magnetic hyperthermia therapy. But the intrinsic low heating power of magnetic nanoparticles, at the conditions allowed for human use, is a limitation that restricts the general implementation of the technique. A promising alternative is local intracellular hyperthermia, whereby cell death (by apoptosis, necroptosis, or other mechanisms) is attained by small amounts of heat generated at thermosensitive intracellular sites. However, the few experiments conducted on the temperature determination of magnetic nanoparticles have found temperature increments that are much higher than the theoretical predictions, thus supporting the local hyperthermia hypothesis. Reliable intracellular temperature measurements are needed to get an accurate picture and resolve the discrepancy. In this paper, we report the real-time variation of the local temperature on γ-Fe2O3 magnetic nanoheaters using a Sm3+/Eu3+ ratiometric luminescent thermometer located on its surface during exposure to an external alternating magnetic field. We measure maximum temperature increments of 8 °C on the surface of the nanoheaters without any appreciable temperature increase on the cell membrane. Even with magnetic fields whose frequency and intensity are still well within health safety limits, these local temperature increments are sufficient to produce a small but noticeable cell death, which is enhanced considerably as the magnetic field intensity is increased to the maximum level tolerated for human use, consequently demonstrating the feasibility of local hyperthermia.

Efficient Brownian oscillators and nanoheaters based on gallium-doped ε-Fe2O3.

Wireless actuation at the nanoscale is vital in many contexts, and magnetic fields acting on nanoparticles (NPs) are among the most effective tools when actuation concerns linear forces. However, effective tools to apply torques at the nanoscale are still missing, because NPs where the magnetic moment is strongly coupled to the lattice agglomerate due to their high magnetic moment. Here, we show that gallium-doped ε-iron oxide NPs have small interparticle magnetic interactions and huge lattice-coupling for efficiently applying torques at the nanoscale. In this view, they are expected to be useful tools to efficiently apply mechanical forces to induce cellular apoptosis and to discern between mechanical and thermal contributions to cellular apoptosis currently under debate.

Gold@Prussian blue analogue core-shell nanoheterostructures: their optical and magnetic properties.

Au@Prussian-Blue Analogue (PBA) shell nanoheterostructures are multifunctional nano-objects combining optical properties (surface plasmon resonance) of the Au core and magnetic properties of the PBA shell. We report in this article a series of new Au core@PBA shell nano-objects with different PBA shells: Au@K/Co/[FeII(CN)6] (2) and Au@K/Ni/[CrIII(CN)6]:[FeII(CN)6] (3) single PBA shell, as well as Au@K/Ni/[FeII(CN)6]@K/Ni/[FeIII(CN)6] (4) double PBA shell and Au@K/Ni/[FeII(CN)6]@K/Ni/[FeIII(CN)6]@K/Ni/[CrIII(CN)6] (5) triple PBA shell systems. The position and intensity of the Au SPR band, as well as the magnetic behaviour of the nanoheterostructures, are strongly affected by the shell composition and its thickness.

Engineered Au Core@Prussian Blue Analogous Shell Nanoheterostructures: Their Magnetic and Optical Properties.

We report a new approach for the synthesis of multifunctional Au core@Prussian Blue analogous (PBA) shell nanoheterostructures that involves PBA shell growth on the surface of cyanide-stabilized gold nanoparticles. It permits the assembly of Au@KNiII [FeII (CN)6 ] core@shell and Au@KNiII [FeII (CN)6 ]@KNiII [CrIII (CN)6 ] core@shell@shell heterostructures with well-defined and size-controlled gold cores and PBA shells. These heterostructures exhibit tunable size- and shape-dependent magnetic and optical properties: (i) the surface plasmon resonance band position and intensity mainly depend on the PBA shell thickness, and (ii) the magnetic properties (the transition temperature, the coercivity, and magnetic regime) depend in a complex manner on the thickness as well as the particular morphology of the magnetic shell.

Nanosized heterostructures of Au@Prussian blue analogues: towards multifunctionality at the nanoscale.

Access to multifunctionality at the nanoscale requires the development of hybrid nanostructures that combine materials of different natures. In this line of thought, current research on coordination polymers is not only focusing on their synthesis at the nanoscale, but also on combining these polymers with other materials. According to a novel and rational approach, single-layer Au@Prussian blue analogue (PBA) and double-layer Au@PBA@PBA' core-shell nanoparticles (NPs) may be obtained through the growth of a cyano-bridged coordination network on the gold surface. The nanosized heterostructures combine the plasmonic optical properties of the gold core and the magnetic properties of the PBA shell. Whereas the single-layer nanoparticles are paramagnetic, the double-layer nanostructures display ferromagnetism; therefore, the overall structural motif may be considered as multifunctional. The developed synthetic concept also includes an easy access to hollow PBA NPs.