Cisplatin-loaded carbon-encapsulated iron nanoparticles and their in vitro effects in magnetic fluid hyperthermia

Iron nanoparticles encapsulated by carbon are protected from reactions with their environment avoiding oxidation in ambient conditions and thus, preserving their magnetic properties. Such particles are good candidates for magnetic fluid hyperthermia. When graphite shells are present, acidic treatments allow the formation of carboxylic groups on the nanoparticle surface. Those carboxylic groups can be used for further complexation with the drug cisplatin. We show the possibility of loading cisplatin on such nanoparticles and that the loading is dependent on the degree of surface functionalization. The drug release is dependent on time and temperature, making it ideal for applications involving hyperthermia. We show the possibility of applying hyperthermia in vitro using these nanoparticles. When loaded with cisplatin a stronger cytotoxic effect is observed. Such particles could be potentially used as multimodal anti-cancer agents for therapies based on the synergistic effect of chemotherapy and hyperthermia. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.