Polyethylene glycol coated manganese oxide/gold nanocomposite for dual modal magnetic resonance imaging/computed tomography and investigation of loading capacity of 5-fluorouracil as anticanser agent

Abstract

The aim of this study was to design a nanosystem consisting of dual modality computed tomography/magnetic resonance imaging (CT/MRI) with the ability to load 5-fluorouracil (5FU) anticancer drug. Materials and methods: In this study, a new nanosystem (AMP/5FU) was synthesized based on the gold (Au) and manganese oxide (MnO) nanoparticles coated with polyethylene glycol (PEG) for the imaging and 5FU delivery. The components and structure of the nanoparticles, their size and shape, hydrodynamic size and magnetic property were identified using FTIR, TEM, DLS and VSM tests, respectively. The anticancer drug loading and release features were investigated, and the cell and blood compatibility were determined by use of MTT assay and hemolysis tests. X-ray attenuation and r1 relaxivity of the nanoparticles were studied using clinical CT scan and MRI, respectively. Results: The spherical shape nanoparticles had paramagnetic property, an average size of 20 nm and a hydrodynamic size of 78 nm. The nanoparticles without 5FU loading showed high compatibility for A549 cells for all concentrations, while the drug-loaded nanoparticles showed toxicity for the 89% of cancer cells. The results of hemolysis test showed that the nanoparticles had blood compatibility. The drug loading rate of 5FU was 90% and its release rate showed a pH dependence of about 73%. AMP/5FU nanoparticles showed a considerable X-ray attenuation in CT scan and an appropriate r1 relaxivity in MRI (r1=4.36 mM−1s−1).