Hyperbranched polymer-functionalized magnetic nanoparticles mediated hyperthermia and niclosamide bimodal therapy of Colorectal Cancer Cells

Functionalized magnetic nanoparticles have attracted particular interest as potential drug delivery carriers as they offer dual advantage of delivering drugs to target site complemented with magnetic hyperthermia mediated therapy. Hyperbranched polymer-functionalized magnetic nanoparticles have potential to perform dual role of killing cancer cells by hyperthermia (by magnetite core) with apoptosis (by loaded niclosamide). These are formed by co-precipitation of iron salts followed by aminocellulose grafting, branch growth and PEGylation. Nanoparticle formation was investigated by determining particle size, zeta potential and microscopic (TEM, FE-SEM and AFM) studies. Results showed that these nanocarriers were 107 ± 57 nm in size with a zeta potential of –18 mV and exist as nanoparticles. Drug loading and encapsulation efficiency was calculated as 15.28 ± 2.72% and 76.41 ± 1.84%, respectively using UV-Vis analysis. Nanoparticles were internalized into HCT116 cells as investigated using confocal microscop...