In vitro cytotoxicity and hyperthermia studies of superparamagnetic poly(urea-urethane) nanoparticles obtained by miniemulsion polymerization in human erythrocytes and NIH3T3 and HeLa cells

Abstract

In this work, magnetic nanoparticles were encapsulated in PUU by miniemulsion polymerization resulting in particles with an average diameter of 164 nm and superparamagnetic proprieties. The hemocompatibility was confirmed by hemolysis and flow cytometry analyses. When an AC magnetic field was applied under superparamagnetic PUU nanoparticles the temperature reached the threshold temperature required for cancer hyperthermia, decreasing the HeLa cells viability at all concentrations tested. On the other hand, when the NIH3T3 cells were submitted to hyperthermia no cytotoxic effect was observed. In particular, the hyperthermia assay proved to be effective in destroying cancer cells while preserving non-tumor ones.

Graphical Abstract

Keywords:

• Hyperthermia
• miniemulsion
• nanoparticles
• poly(urea-urethane)
• superparamagnetic

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank Laboratório Central de Microscopia Eletrônica da UFSC (LCME-UFSC) for SEM and TEM images. Laboratório de Resonancias Magnéticas (PhD. Enio Lima Junior), Centro Atómico Bariloche & CONICET - Argentina, for characterization of the magnetic properties.

Additional information

Funding

The authors would like to thank Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq) and Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) for financial support.