Exploring magnetoelectric nanoparticles for advanced nano-electroporation and drug delivery in interventional cardiology

Abstract

Leveraging their ability to induce an intense and highly localized electric polarization upon application of an external magnetic field, core–shell magnetoelectric nanoparticles (MENPs) constitute powerful nanotools to achieve wireless nano-electroporation and targeted drug delivery in critical applications such as cardiovascular medicine, where frequent interventions may pose general yet high risks to the patients. In this study, the magnetoelectric feature is exploited to thoroughly map in silico the behavior of a model MENP under a set of either static or time-varying external magnetic fields, with the dual aim of (i) providing a series of operational parameters to elicit at the nanoscale a reversible cell membrane poration and (ii) correlating the electric potential difference developed at the activated MENP surface with the charge displacement potentially induced in a hypothetical drug-MENP bond. The finite element analysis framework considers a single cobalt ferrite core–barium titanate shell MENP, either immersed in culture medium or engulfed in a blood vessel wall. Simulation results obtained under static magnetic field conditions show that maximizing magnetoelectric efficiency (79.82 mV Oe⁻¹ cm⁻¹) generates electric fields in line with reversible nano-electroporation values (3.7 × 10⁴ to 4.7 × 10⁴ V m⁻¹). Furthermore, a correlation between the profiles of the electric potential registered at the MENP outer border (2.86–2.92 mV) and the charge displacement hypothetically experienced by a drug-MENP bond is highlighted, when an alternating, low-intensity external magnetic field is used. Our computational study sets a preliminary base to gain a deeper understanding of the interface phenomena of MENP-mediated cell poration and drug delivery, and it serves as a preliminary step towards complex future analyses.