Magnetically polymeric nanocarriers for targeting delivery of curcumin and hyperthermia treatments toward cancer cells

Magnetically polymeric nanocarriers, Cur-FA-SAMN, were designed and synthesized for targeting, therapeutic treatments to cancer cells. Amine-group immobilized iron oxides, Fe₃O₄-NH₂, were attached on the surface of self-assembled tri-block copolymer, poly[(acrylic acid)-block-(N-isopropylacrylamide)-block-(acrylic acid)] synthesized via reversible addition-fragmentation chain-transfer polymerization. For the purpose of targeting effect, folic acid was grafted on the surface of Fe₃O₄-NH₂ attached nanoparticles. The nanocarriers were characterized by transmission electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, vibrating sample magnetometer, and UV-Vis spectral analysis. Therefore, a hydrophobic anti-cancer drug, curcumin, gained water dispersity, and stable storage via encapsulating into and on the magnetically polymeric nanocarriers, and the release behaviors were studied in vitro, with and without high frequency magnetic field. Biocompatibility and cytotoxicity of inherent and curcumin-loaded nanocarriers were investigated by MTT assay. Results displayed that our nanocarriers have no cytotoxicity while curcumin-loaded nanocarriers offered significant death to MCF-7, human breast camcer cells. Intracellular-uptake experiments demonstrated tremendous uptake and the destroying effect to MCF-7 cells, most of the cancer cells were killed and the surviving ones were surrounded by the curcumin-loaded nanocarriers. According to the aforementioned characteristics, these magnetically polymeric nanocarriers will be able to apply as a potential device for practical therapy.