Multifunctional carboxymethyl cellulose-based magnetic nanovector as a theragnostic system for folate receptor targeted chemotherapy, imaging, and hyperthermia against cancer.

A multifunctional biocompatible nanovector based on magnetic nanoparticle and carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) was developed. The nanoparticles have been characterized using TEM, SEM, DLS, FT-IR spectra, VSM, and TGA studies. We found that the synthesized carboxymethyl cellulose magnetic nanoparticles (CMC MNPs) were spherical in shape with an average size of 150 nm having low aggregation and superparamagnetic properties. We found that the folate-tagged CMC MNPs were delivered to cancer cells by a folate-receptor-mediated endocytosis mechanism. 5-FU was encapsulated as a model drug for delivering cytotoxicity, and we could demonstrate the sustained release of 5-FU. It was also observed that the FITC-labeled CMC MNPs could effectively enter cells, and the fate of nanoparticles was tracked with Lysotracker. The CMC MNPs could induce significant cell death when an alternating magnetic field was applied. These results indicate that the multifunctional CMC MNPs possess a high drug loading efficiency and high biocompatibility and with low cell cytotoxicity and can be considered to be promising candidates for CMC-based targeted drug delivery, cellular imaging, and magnetic hyperthermia (MHT).

Highly versatile SPION encapsulated PLGA nanoparticles as photothermal ablators of cancer cells and as multimodal imaging agents.

We have designed versatile polymeric nanoparticles with cancer cell specific targeting capabilities via aptamer conjugation after the successful encapsulation of curcumin and superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs) inside a PLGA nanocapsule. These targeted nanocomposites were selectively taken up by tumor cells, under in vitro conditions, demonstrating the effectiveness of the aptamer targeting mechanism. Moreover, the nanocomposite potentially functioned as efficient multiprobes for optical, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and photoacoustic imaging contrast agents in the field of cancer diagnostics. The hyperthermic ability of these nanocomposites was mediated by SPIONs upon NIR-laser irradiation. In vitro cytotoxicity was shown by curcumin-loaded nanoparticles as well as the photothermal ablation of cancer cells mediated by the drug-encapsulated nanocomposite demonstrated the potential therapeutic effect of the nanocomposite. In short, we portray the aptamer-conjugated nanocomposite as a multimodal material capable of serving as a contrast agent for MR, photoacoustic and optical imaging. Furthermore, the nanocomposite functions as a targetable drug nanocarrier and a NIR-laser inducible hyperthermic material that is capable of ablating PANC-1 and MIA PaCa-2 cancer cell lines.

Bacterial exopolysaccharide based magnetic nanoparticles: a versatile nanotool for cancer cell imaging, targeted drug delivery and synergistic effect of drug and hyperthermia mediated cancer therapy.

Microbial exopolysaccharides (EPSs) are highly heterogeneous polymers produced by fungi and bacteria that have garnered considerable attention and have remarkable potential in various fields, including biomedical research. The necessity of biocompatible materials to coat and stabilize nanoparticles is highly recommended for successful application of the same in biomedical regime. In our study we have coated magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) with two bacterial EPS-mauran (MR) and gellan gum (GG). The biocompatibility of EPS coated MNPs was enhanced and we have made it multifunctional by attaching targeting moiety, folate and with encapsulation of a potent anticancerous drug, 5FU. We have conjugated an imaging moiety along with nanocomposite to study the effective uptake of nanoparticles. It was also observed that the dye labeled folate targeted nanoparticles could effectively enter into cancer cells and the fate of nanoparticles was tracked with Lysotracker. The biocompatibility of EPS coated MNPs and synergistic effect of magnetic hyperthermia and drug for enhanced antiproliferation of cancer cells was also evaluated. More than 80% of cancer cells was killed within a period of 60 min when magnetic hyperthermia (MHT) was applied along with drug loaded EPS coated MNPs, thus signifying the combined effect of drug loaded MNPs and MHT. Our results suggests that MR and GG coated MNPs exhibited excellent biocompatibility with low cell cytotoxicity, high therapeutic potential, and superparamagnetic behavior that can be employed as prospective candidates for bacterial EPS based targeted drug delivery, cancer cell imaging and for MHT for killing cancer cells within short period of time.