A New Type of MgFe₂O₄@CuS-APTES Nanocarrier for Magnetic Targeting and Light-Microwave Dual Controlled Drug Release

Cancer is a major health problem worldwide, and the most extensive treatment can be obtained by using chemotherapy in the clinic. However, due to the low selectivity of cancer cells, chemotherapy drugs produce a series of grievous side effects on normal cells.

In this research, we developed novel nanocarriers for magnetically targeted near-infrared (NIR) light-electromagnetic wave dual controlled drug delivery based on MgFe₂O₄@CuS nanoparticles (NPs) modified with aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES) in response to magnetic, NIR light, and electromagnetic wave irradiation. Synthesis and characterization of MgFe₂O₄@CuS-APTES NPs was carried out using X-ray diffraction measurements, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, photoluminescence emission spectra, UV-1800 spectrophotometer, N5230A vector network analyzer, MDS-6 microwave sample preparation system, and superconducting quantum interference device. In addition to that mentioned above, we also explored many other sides, such as the drug-loading, drug-controlled release efficiency, elect99omagnetic wave thermal effect and photo-thermal effect.

The results showed that APTES-modified MgFe₂O₄@CuS NPs had 37% high drug-loading capacity and high electromagnetic wave thermal conversion ability and NIR-light thermal conversion ability. In addition, ibuprofen (IBU) release from the MgFe₂O₄@CuS-APTES-IBU depends on the electromagnetic wave (2.45 GHz) and 1060 nm NIR light irradiation. After five cycles, the drug-release percentage was 90% and 66% separately, and could be adjusted by the time and cycles times of electromagnetic wave and NIR light irritation. Electromagnetic wave irradiation compared with NIR light irradiation, has a higher drug release rate and better penetration. Therefore, choosing different stimulation methods according to the treatment needs of the disease, we can achieve accurate personalized treatment of the disease.

Our findings indicate that multifunctional APTES modified MgFe₂O₄@CuS NPs could be used for the first time as a new drug carrier for "location-timing-quantification" drug release with magnetic targeting and dual control of NIR light-electromagnetic waves.