Superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles functionalized with a binary alkoxysilane array and poly(4-vinylpyridine) for magnetic targeting and pH-responsive release of doxorubicin

Abstract

Chemotherapeutic drugs cause harmful side effects in cancer patients due to their low specificity, calling for the development of more effective strategies for their dosage and administration. In this work, a smart drug nanocarrier was synthesized through the covalent functionalization of superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles with a triblock copolymer, which includes a dual alkoxysilane array, ((3-aminopropyl)triethoxysilane and (trimethoxysilyl)propyl methacrylate), and the pH-responsive poly(4-vinylpyridine). The synthetic conditions were optimized through structural and physicochemical characterization after every functionalization step. Afterward, the systematic loading, capture, and release of the anticancer drug doxorubicin (Dox) were demonstrated at relevant pH values using a specially designed square wave voltammetry technique. This strategy revealed that the P4VP polymeric chains underwent reversible hydrophobic to hydrophilic transitions in acidic media, triggering a molecular distention driven by the induced intermolecular electro-repulsive forces. Thereafter, the Dox solution can easily penetrate the polymeric layer at pH values below 5.62 (the pK_a of poly(4-vinylpyridine)), allowing a loading of 61.9 ± 5.4 mg g⁻¹ in the nanocomplex. After deprotonation in a pH 7.4 buffer solution, the polymer chains underwent intermolecular interactions again, capturing the drug molecules. Subsequently, 93.5 ± 3.5% of the payload was released upon suspension of the nanocomplex in pH 4.0 media, which is significantly more acidic than healthy tissues. Since the magnetic properties of the MNPs were practically unaffected by the surface modification, this nanocomplex offers a versatile strategy for the pH-selective and magnetically-guided release of drugs.