Cucurbitural/Hydroxyapatite based nanoparticles for potential use in theranostic applications
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Date
2014-05
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CrystEngComm
Abstract
We present the engineering of cucurbituril/hydroxyapatite based theranostic nanoparticles with a high
aspect ratio and a needle shaped morphology. These particles with varying sizes, surface charges and
tunable degradation profiles manifested the advantages of the presence of cucurbituril with respect to
drug loading, encapsulation efficacy and release kinetics. In vitro release profiles with two model drugs,
Doxorubicin hydrochloride (Dox, hydrophilic) and Nile Red dye (NR, hydrophobic), were evaluated. It was
ascertained that hydrophilic Dox was released at a faster rate compared to hydrophobic NR over similar
time periods. The concomitant presence of samarium (Sm3+) and CB[7] confers theranostic potential to the
synthesized nanoparticles. Cellular toxicity effects systematically assessed using MTT and live/dead assay
protocols indicate inappreciable toxicity. The nanoparticles further reveal excellent blood compatibility and
cellular internalization properties as visualized by fluorescence microscopy. Particles excited at 300 nm
revealed Dox emission in the green channel (470 nm) as well as Sm3+ emission in the red channel
(590 nm). These studies unravel the potential of these nanoparticles for effective theranostic applications.
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CrystEngComm. 2014;16:6929- 36