Fabrication of folic acid functionalized pH-responsive and thermosensitive magnetic chitosan microcapsules via a simple sonochemical method

• Folic acid functionalized pH-responsive and thermosensitive magnetic chitosan microcapsules (FA-MCMCs) are prepared via a simple sonochemical method.
• Oleic acid modified Fe3O4 magnetic nanoparticles (OA–Fe3O4 NPs) are encapsulated into FA-MCMCs.
• Folic acid (FA) molecules are coupled onto the outer walls of the FA-MCMCs.
• The FA-MCMCs have an excellent magnetic and molecular dual-targeted property.
• The FA-MCMCs are pH-responsive as biocarriers for hydrophobic drugs.

Folic acid (FA) functionalized magnetic chitosan (CS) microcapsules (FA-MCMCs) were fabricated by a simple sonochemical method. FA molecules were coupled onto the outer walls of microcapsules as targeting ligands. Oleic acid (OA) modified Fe3O4 nanoparticles (OA–Fe3O4 NPs) and hydrophobic drugs were encapsulated into microcapsules. The obtained FA-MCMCs had a well-defined spherical morphology with the average size of 0.8 μm. Moreover, FA-MCMCs showed an excellent supermagnetic and molecular targeted property. Cellular uptake of C6-loaded FA-MCMCs proved that FA-MCMCs could be endocytosed into the cells with the folate receptors selectively. Besides, FA-MCMCs showed a good pH-responsive and thermosensitive property. The developed FA-MCMCs could be a promising candidate for anti-cancer drugs carriers.

Figure optionsDownload as PowerPoint slide