Polysaccharide surface modified Fe3O4 nanoparticles for camptothecin loading and release

Fe3O4 nanoparticles were stabilized using different functional polysaccharides, such as chitosan (CS), O-carboxymethylchitosan (OCMCS) and (N-succinyl-O-carboxymethylchitosan (NSOCMCS) to improve their bioactivity. The release profile and the in vitro cancer cell inhibition activity of camptothecin (CPT) loaded polysaccharide modified Fe3O4 nanoparticles were systematically studies. The particle size and size distribution of CPT-loaded polysaccharide modified Fe3O4 nanoparticles were found to be strongly dependent on polysaccharide character. Such polysaccharide character could also affect CPT adsorption efficiency, CPT release behavior and bovine serum albumin (BSA) unspecific binding capacity. After 24 h incubation of 7721 cancer cells with CPT-loaded polysaccharide modified Fe3O4 nanoparticles, significant changes in cell morphology could be discernible from phase contrast microscopy. Cytotoxicity assay showed these polysaccharide modified Fe3O4 nanoparticles did not exhibit noteworthy cytotoxicity against 7721, however, the in vitro inhibition rate of CPT-loaded polysaccharide modified Fe3O4 nanoparticles against 7721 liver cancer cell increased significantly in comparison with that of CPT-free drug.