The ZnFe2O4@mZnO-N/RGO nano-composite as a carrier and an intelligent releaser drug with dual pH- and ultrasound-triggered control

In this paper, zinc ferrite@meso-porous (abbreviated as m) zinc oxide-nitrogen doped reduced graphene oxide (ZnFe2O4@mZnO-N/RGO) and zinc ferrite@mZnO-reduced graphene oxide (ZnFe2O4@mZnO-RGO) as dual ultrasound (US) and pH-sensitive nano-devices have been prepared by sol-gel method. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), vibrating sample magnetometer spectroscopy (VSM), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), energy dispersive X-ray (EDX), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), thermogravimetric analyzer (TGA), dynamic light scattering (DLS), zeta potential, Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) surface area and MTT assay were applied as techniques for characterizing prepared nano-devices. The amount of drug loading efficiency of ZnFe2O4@mZnO-RGO and ZnFe2O4@mZnO-N/RGO nano-devices was as high as 65.49 and 73.32 mg mg(-1), respectively. Moreover, developed nano-devices have released curcumin (Cur) molecules by dual US and pH approaches. These dually responsive nano-devices showed no cytotoxicity, and can load the Cur reagent with a prolonged sustained release pattern. The release is controllable by ultrasound radiation and pH (7.4 and 5.5) in a binary buffer at 37 degrees C. Herein, we report two precisely designed sonodynamic drug carriers that have a US-drug release property via reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation (O-2(-), OH, HO2) from ZnFe2O4@mZnO species. Toxicity test results on the fibroblast and A549 cells showed that nano-devices are biocompatible for healthy cells, but toxic for cancer cells.

Automated summary

In this study, dual ultrasound and pH-sensitive nano-devices ZnFe2O4@mZnO-RGO and ZnFe2O4@mZnO-N/RGO were prepared and characterized using various techniques. These nano-devices exhibited high drug loading efficiency, released Cur molecules through dual US and pH approaches, and showed no cytotoxicity to healthy cells but toxicity to cancer cells. The release of Cur can be controlled by ultrasound radiation and pH, making them potential sonodynamic drug carriers for targeted cancer therapy.