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Gold-coated magnetic nanoparticle as a nanotheranostic agent for magnetic resonance imaging and photothermal therapy of cancer

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Abstract

Because of their great scientific and technological potentials, iron oxide nanoparticles (IONPs) have been the focus of extensive investigations in biomedicine over the past decade. Additionally, the surface plasmon resonance effect of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) makes them a good candidate for photothermal therapy applications. The unique properties of both IONPs (magnetic) and AuNPs (surface plasmon resonance) may lead to the development of a multi-modal nanoplatform to be used as a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast agent and as a nanoheater for photothermal therapy. Herein, core–shell gold-coated IONPs (Au@IONPs) were synthesized and investigated as an MRI contrast agent and as a light-responsive agent for cancer photothermal therapy.

The synthesized Au@IONPs were characterized by UV–visible spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), dynamic light scattering (DLS), and zeta potential analysis. The transverse relaxivity (r 2) of the Au@IONPs was measured using a 3-T clinical MRI scanner. Through a 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay, the cytotoxicity of the Au@IONs was examined on a KB cell line, derived from the epidermal carcinoma of a human mouth. Moreover, the photothermal effects of Au@IONPs in the presence of a laser beam (λ = 808 nm; 6.3 W/cm2; 5 min) were studied.

The results show that the Au@IONPs are spherical with a hydrodynamic size of 33 nm. A transverse relaxivity of 95 mM−1 S−1 was measured for the synthesized Au@IONPs. It is evident from the MTT results that no significant cytotoxicity in KB cells occurs with Au@IONPs. Additionally, no significant cell damage induced by the laser is observed. Following the photothermal treatment using Au@IONPs, approximately 70% cell death is achieved. It is found that cell lethality depended strongly on incubation period and the Au@IONP concentration.

The data highlight the potential of Au@IONPs as a dual-function MRI contrast agent and photosensitizer for cancer photothermal therapy.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Radiation Research Center, Allied Medical Sciences School, AJA University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

    Nazila Eyvazzadeh

  2. Medical Physics Department, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences (IUMS), Tehran, Iran

    Ali Shakeri-Zadeh

  3. Department of Periodontology, Dental Faculty - Laser Research Center in Medical Sciences, AJA University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

    Reza Fekrazad

  4. International Network for Photo Medicine and Photo Dynamic Therapy (INPMPDT), Universal Scientific Education and Research Network (USERN), Tehran, Iran

    Reza Fekrazad & S. Kamran Kamrava

  5. ENT and Head & Neck Research Center and Department, Iran University of Medical Sciences (IUMS), Tehran, Iran

    Elahe Amini

  6. Cellular and Molecular Research Center, Zahedan University of Medical Sciences (ZaUMS), Zahedan, Iran

    Habib Ghaznavi

  7. Applied Biophotonics Research Center, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran

    S. Kamran Kamrava

Authors
  1. Nazila Eyvazzadeh
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  2. Ali Shakeri-Zadeh
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  3. Reza Fekrazad
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  4. Elahe Amini
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  5. Habib Ghaznavi
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  6. S. Kamran Kamrava
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Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Habib Ghaznavi or S. Kamran Kamrava.

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This research did not involve human participants and/or animals.

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The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest.

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Eyvazzadeh, N., Shakeri-Zadeh, A., Fekrazad, R. et al. Gold-coated magnetic nanoparticle as a nanotheranostic agent for magnetic resonance imaging and photothermal therapy of cancer. Lasers Med Sci 32, 1469–1477 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10103-017-2267-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10103-017-2267-x

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