Magnetic mesoporous nanocarriers for drug delivery with improved therapeutic efficacy

Abstract

Mesoporous CoNi@Au core@shell nanorods were synthesized as magnetic drug nanocarriers by electrodeposition using ionic liquid-in-aqueous microemulsions. Mesoporous nanorods present a highly effective area (186 m2 g-1) and magnetic character that allows their manipulation, concentration and retention by applying a magnetic field. The nanorods have been functionalized with thiol-poly(ethyleneglycol) molecules and molecules of Irinotecan, a drug, used in chemotherapy, were retained in both the lattice of the linked thiol-poly(ethyleneglycol) molecules and inside the nanorods pores. The nanorods' mesoporous character allowed a high drug-loading capability and magnetic behavior that allowed the drug's controlled release. A high cellular viability of HeLa cells was obtained after their incubation with the nanorods functionalized with thiol-poly(ethyleneglycol). However, when the nanorods functioned as carriers for CPT-11, significant cell death was occurred when the HeLa cells were incubated with the functionalized, drug-loaded nanorods. Cell death also occurred by applying an alternating magnetic field, given the effect of both the carrier's CPT-11 release and the mechanical damage of cells by the nanorods under the magnetic field effect. Our proposal to used mesoporous magnetic nanorods as drug carriers could thus dramatically reduce the amounts of the nanocarrier and the drug needed to efficiently destroy cancer cells.