The Multifunctionally Graded System for a Controlled Size Effect on Iron Oxide-Gold Based Core-Shell Nanoparticles.

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Nanotechnology
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Core-shell nanoparticles offer unique properties for drug delivery and sensing.
• Iron oxide and gold (Fe3O4@Au) nanoparticles combine magnetic and plasmonic functionalities.
• Doxorubicin (DOX) is a widely used chemotherapy drug with limitations in delivery and specificity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and characterize Fe3O4@Au core-shell nanoparticles as a multifunctional platform for molecule delivery and doxorubicin (DOX) sensing.
• To investigate the efficiency of DOX loading and release using DNA hybridization and high-frequency magnetic fields (HFMF).
• To evaluate the potential of these nanoparticles as nanocarriers for controlled drug delivery.

Main Methods:

• Synthesis of Fe3O4@Au core-shell nanoparticles.
• Functionalization of nanoparticle surfaces with DNA sequences via thiol bonding.
• Loading of DOX onto the functionalized nanoparticles.
• Sensing of DOX using DNA hybridization and measurement of limits of detection (LODs).
• Investigation of DOX release triggered by high-frequency magnetic fields (HFMF).
• Characterization of nanoparticle properties, including surface area and temperature changes.

Main Results:

• Fe3O4@Au core-shell nanoparticles demonstrated efficient molecule delivery capabilities.
• The platform enabled sensing of doxorubicin (DOX) with a limit of detection (LOD) of 1.839 nM.
• High release percentage of loaded molecules was achieved in a short time using HFMF.
• Increased gold nano-shell thickness provided larger surface area and reduced temperature increments.
• The magnetic properties of the Fe3O4@Au-dsDNA/DOX nanoparticles suggest potential as nanocarriers.

Conclusions:

• Fe3O4@Au core-shell nanoparticles represent a promising multifunctional platform for controllable and efficient molecule delivery.
• The developed system allows for sensitive detection of doxorubicin (DOX).
• The size-dependent properties and magnetic responsiveness of these nanoparticles highlight their potential in nanomedicine and drug delivery applications.