Physicochemical Characteristics of Fe3O4 Magnetic Nanocomposites Based on Poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) for Anti-cancer Drug Delivery

Abstract

<b>Background:</b> Hydrogels are a class of polymers that can absorb water or biological fluids and swell to severaltimes their dry volume, dependent on changes in the external environment. In recent years, hydrogels and hydrogelnanocomposites have found a variety of biomedical applications, including drug delivery and cancer treatment.The incorporation of nanoparticulates into a hydrogel matrix can result in unique material characteristics suchas enhanced mechanical properties, swelling response, and capability of remote controlled actuation. Materialsand <br/><b>Methods</b>: In this work, synthesis of hydrogel nanocomposites containing magnetic nanoparticles are studied.At first, magnetic nanoparticles (Fe3O4) with an average size 10 nm were prepared. At second approach, thermoand pH-sensitive poly (N-isopropylacrylamide -co-methacrylic acid-co-vinyl pyrrolidone) (NIPAAm-MAAVP)were prepared. Swelling behavior of co-polymer was studied in buffer solutions with different pH values(pH=5.8, pH=7.4) at 37˚C. Magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (Fe3O4) and doxorubicin were incorporated intocopolymer and drug loading was studied. The release of drug, carried out at different pH and temperatures.Finally, chemical composition, magnetic properties and morphology of doxorubicin-loaded magnetic hydrogelnanocomposites were analyzed by FT- IR, vibrating sample magnetometry (VSM), scanning electron microscopy(SEM). <br/><b>Results</b>: The results indicated that drug loading efficiency was increased by increasing the drug ratioto polymer. Doxorubicin was released more at 40˚C and in acidic pH compared to that 37˚C and basic pH.<br/><b>Conclusions</b>: This study suggested that the poly (NIPAAm-MAA-VP) magnetic hydrogel nanocomposite couldbe an effective carrier for targeting drug delivery systems of anti-cancer drugs due to its temperature sensitiveproperties.