Promoting neuroregeneration by applying dynamic magnetic fields to a novel nanomedicine: Superparamagnetic iron oxide (SPIO)-gold nanoparticles bounded with nerve growth factor (NGF)

In order to promote magnetic neuroregeneration, nerve growth factor functionalized superparamagnetic iron oxide-gold nanoparticles were investigated as potential nanomedicine. In-vitro studies on PC-12 cells, showed an excellent cell viability (>96%) of this nanomedicine, and an outstanding stimulation of cell differentiation (206% of control), and neurite elongation (187% of control), driven by dynamic magnetic fields (MFs). The neurite orientation was experimentally steered towards the MF directions, which was verified by a cytoskeletal force model. The dynamic MF was also found favored than its static counterpart, as it remarkably enhanced the neuron growth by 63% than the static one. (Graphical : Figure 2, B and Figure 7, A)254