Characterization and evaluation of surface modified superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles for uptake into human prostate carcinoma cells

Magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) were synthesized from Fe2+ and Fe3+ by the co-precipitation method. Two nanoparticle surface coatings (gum arabic and sodium citrate) provided additional functionalization and cell selectivity. The incorporation of surface modifiers to the synthesized nanoparticles generated three nanoparticle systems from which the research was based. The physical and chemical properties were determined with a variety of standard characterization techniques. Upon characterization of the nanoparticles, in vitro cell culture experiments were conducted. Nanoparticles were allowed to co-exist with prostate cells for 48 hours under sterile conditions. A range of iron oxide nanoparticle concentrations (0.5 x 1016 -- 50 x 1016 particles/mL) were studied and compared for their effects on cell viability, intercellular uptake and quantitative analysis of prostate cell selectivity.;Nanoparticles have a natural tendency to agglomerate; therefore, the addition of gum arabic as a stabilizing agent provided increased electrostatic repulsion which freely dispersed the particles and greatly contributed to more stabilized particles in both water and cell nutrient media. Sodium citrate was an excellent capping agent for nanoparticles in water but not in serum rich nutrient media. The contents of the media contributed to the destabilization of the nanoparticle solution; hence, particle size measurements decreased over time for sodium citrate coated particles in media as well as non-coated nanoparticles in media, which formed larger particles (350 -- 375 nm), then gradually fell out of solution. Initial measurements for sodium citrate MNPs were more than four times greater in media as compared to stabilized sodium citrate particles in water (160 nm). Non-coated nanoparticles demonstrated agglomeration in water and size measurements increased to 700nm over the 48 hour period. Despite the degree of particle stability, prostate cells intracellularly received nanoparticles from each of the three nanoparticle systems. Cellular encapsulation of iron nanoparticles by prostate cells was demonstrated with TEM. Iron filing and cell mobility in response to a magnet was captured with video. The gum arabic nanoparticle system exhibited the highest differential uptake (ratio 6.8) at a lower nanoparticle concentration (2.5 x 10 16). There is possibility of greater specificity when the size of prostate cancer and normal cells are compared.