Design of mesoporouse Fe3O4/MS nanoparticles as drug delivery platform of prednisolone

Interest towards mesoporous silicates as drug carries goes back to 2001, when application of MCM-41 type mesoporous silica for controlled delivery of drugs was published for the first time. Mesoporous silicates (MS) are... [ view full abstract ]

Interest towards mesoporous silicates as drug carries goes back to 2001, when application of MCM-41 type mesoporous silica for controlled delivery of drugs was published for the first time. Mesoporous silicates (MS) are characterized by narrow distribution of pores with a controlled size, large pore volume, high specific surface area (700 m2/g), and good chemical and thermal stability. A new push towards the development of antitumor drug-delivery systems is given by the Fe3O4/MS mesoporous composites with different structures. By integration of mesoporous silica nanostructures with magnetic nanocrystals, original drug-delivery systems can be obtained permitting selective supply of the drug to the targeted organ or tissue of the body. Glucocorticoids i.e. prednisolone have been used in clinical oncology for more than three decades because their anti-inflammatory action additionally influences the oncological therapy.
In the present study we developed prednisolone loaded Fe3O4/MS nanoparticles. In-vitro release properties of the obtained delivery systems were studied in respect to their possible application in anti-cancer therapy. Fe3O4/MS nanoparticles with spherical morphology, small particle sizes (80 nm) and high surface area (800 m2/g) were synthesized and loaded with prednisolone by incipient wetness impregnation. The Fe3O4/MS nanoparticles and drug formulations were characterized by XRD, N2 physisorption, TG analysis and ATR-FT-IR spectroscopy. In-vitro drug release study was performed into phosphate buffer (pH = 7) at 37oC. Loading of prednisolone on Fe3O4/MS nanoparticles resulted in high loading capacities. In-vitro release process at showed controlled prednisolone release. Spectroscopic data suggest the formation of a weak bond between silanols of the mesoporous Fe3O4/MS nanoparticles and prednisolone molecules. The cytotoxic potential of the presented mesoporous nanoparticles was tested in a panel of human malignant cell lines in-vitro. The results clearly indicate that the nanoparticles are practically devoid of toxicity in the tested concentration range. The in-vivo anti-inflammatory activity of prednisolone loaded mesoporous Fe3O4/MS nanoparticles vs. free drug was compared in murine collagen-induces arthritis. The results show that prednisolone encapsulation into mesoporous nanoparticles did not compromise its intrinsic pharmacological activity.
Acknowledgements Financial support from the Bulgarian-Hungarian Inter-Academic Exchange Agreement and the program for career development of young scientists, BAS, ДФНП 191/14.05.2016 is greatly acknowledged.