Mesoporous Biocompatible and Acid-Degradable Magnetic Colloidal Nanocrystal Clusters with Sustainable Stability and High Hydrophobic Drug Loading Capacity

Abstract

Fabrication of magnetic particles (MPs) with high magnetization and large surface area simultaneously is critical for the application of MPs in bioseparation and drug delivery but remains a challenge. In this article, we describe an unprecedented approach to synthesize mesoporous magnetic colloidal nanocrystal clusters (MCNCs) stabilized by poly(γ-glutamic acid) (PGA) with high magnetization, large surface area (136 m 2 /g) and pore volume (0.57 cm 3 /g), excellent colloidal stability, prominent biocompatibility, and acid degradability. This result provides the important step toward the construction of a new family of MCNCs and demonstrates its capacity in a "magnetic motor" drug delivery system. Here, as an example, we explore the applicability of asprepared mesoporous MCNCs as hydrophobic drug delivery vehicles (paclitaxel as model drug), and the resultant loading capacity is as high as 35.0 wt %. The antitumor efficacy measured by MTT assay is significantly enhanced, compared with free drugs. Thus, combined with their inherent high magnetization, the mesoporous MCNCs pave the way for applying magnetic targeting drug carriers in antitumor therapeutics.

High drug-loading nanomedicines: progress, current status, and prospects

“…[79][80][81] Compared with other inorganic porous materials, HMMCNCs and MMCNCs are known as the "magnetic motor" for sitespecific drug-delivery applications. [82][83][84] The most common fabrication method of MMCNC-based nanomedicines begins with a combination of solvothermal reaction and electrostatic stabilization, [85][86][87][88][89] and follows with drug loading via nanoprecipitation. 80,88,90 Luo et al synthesized Ptx-loaded Fe 3 O 4 MMCNCs using poly(γ-glutamic acid) as an electrostatic stabilization agent.…”

“…[82][83][84] The most common fabrication method of MMCNC-based nanomedicines begins with a combination of solvothermal reaction and electrostatic stabilization, [85][86][87][88][89] and follows with drug loading via nanoprecipitation. 80,88,90 Luo et al synthesized Ptx-loaded Fe 3 O 4 MMCNCs using poly(γ-glutamic acid) as an electrostatic stabilization agent. 88 The resulting MMCNC-based nanomedicine possessed high magnetization, large surface area (136 m 2 /g) and pore volume (0.57 cm 3 /g), excellent colloidal stability, prominent biocompatibility, acid degradability, and high drug-loading content of 35 wt% for Ptx.…”

“…80,88,90 Luo et al synthesized Ptx-loaded Fe 3 O 4 MMCNCs using poly(γ-glutamic acid) as an electrostatic stabilization agent. 88 The resulting MMCNC-based nanomedicine possessed high magnetization, large surface area (136 m 2 /g) and pore volume (0.57 cm 3 /g), excellent colloidal stability, prominent biocompatibility, acid degradability, and high drug-loading content of 35 wt% for Ptx.…”

Colloidal magnetic nanocrystal clusters: variable length-scale interaction mechanisms, synergetic functionalities and technological advantages

“…A metallic precursor, such as metal chlorides [14-16, 25, 26, 28, 31, 33, 35, 77-87] or acetylacetonates [36,[88][89][90] are dissolved in a solvent like ether [36,[88][89][90], or glycol [14,15,25,26,31,33,35,77,[79][80][81][82][83][84][85][86][87], or water [16], or THF-ethanol [28] in a glass flask equipped with a heating mantle or in an autoclave (Figure 2A-E). A capping agent is also added in the reaction mixture at room temperature (Table 1) to control the size and the shape of the system.…”

“…Different morphologies, compact or loose structures with diameters ranging from 30 to a few hundred nm have been obtained with the previous synthesis strategies. Colloidal assemblies of inorganic nanocrystals are commonly called nanoclusters [15,[21][22][23][24][25][26][27][28][29], but in the literature, they can also be found as nanoflowers [30], nanoroses [17], multi-core particles [31,32], nanoassemblies [13,14,33,34], porous particles [35], flower-like mesocrystals [36], nanobeads [37,38], and pomegranate-like particles [34]. Furthermore, it is worth noting that these can be delivered with diverse chemical origin, including nanoclusters of ZnO [39,40], Co 3 O 4 [41], CuO [42], In 2 O 3 [40], CoO [40], MnO [40], ZnSe [40], CuCr 2 S 4 [43], PbS [44], and TiO 2 [45].…”