MISiS, RCTU and RNIMU: Nanoparticle synthesis technology for biomedicine

Main article: Nanoparticles in medicine

2023: Pure rod nanoparticle synthesis technology CoFe2O4

For the first time, Russian scientists presented a simplified and easily reproducible method for the synthesis of elongated nanoparticles for various biomedical applications: a contrast agent for imaging tumor foci by MRI or as independent therapeutic agents. However, the technology does not require the use of expensive surfactants and toxic materials. This was reported to Zdrav.Expert by representatives of MISIS University on August 17, 2023.

Russian scientists presented a universal cheap method for the synthesis of nanoparticles for biomedicine

The study was carried out by MISIS scientists together with colleagues from the RKTU named after D.I. Mendeleev and RNIMU named after N.I. Pirogov. The results of the study are published in the journal ACS Applied Nano Materials (Q1).

Cobalt ferrite (CoFe2O4) nanoparticles have exceptional chemical stability

In recent years, magnetic nanoparticles (MHPs) have increasingly found their application in biomedicine, in particular the treatment of cancer. The popularity of MCH lies in their multifunctionality: a small size allows you to enter the human body, and magnetic properties - to control their behavior using external magnetic fields, scientists explained.

Such MHFs include cobalt ferrite nanoparticles (CoFe2O4), which have exceptional chemical stability, which is very important for invitro and invivo experiments. At the same time, the functional characteristics of MHF strongly depend on their shape. CoFe2O4 nanoparticles in the form of rods are one of the most promising but unexplored objects in biomedicine due to the complexity of their manufacture. Until now, this problem has not been solved using the most commonly used methods of chemical synthesis of nanoparticles using metal-containing precursors - substances involved in the reaction leading to the formation of the final product.

Presented by a team of scientists from the University of MISIS, RKTU named after D.I. Mendeleev and RNIMU named after N.I. Pirogov, the technology of synthesizing pure rod nanoparticles is CoFe2O4 not only easily reproducible and does not require the use of expensive toxic precursors, but is also universal, making it possible to easily synthesize other MHF from similar materials such as zinc ferrite ZnFe2O4, nickel ferrite NiFe2O4 and manganese ferrite MnFe2O4.

"The method is based on several key points: by hydrolysis of iron chloride, a matrix is first obtained, which is nanoparticles of iron oxyhydroxide (FeOOH) in the form of rods. Further, a Co (OH) 2 shell is deposited on the surface of the obtained rods. After that, high-temperature annealing is carried out, which leads to the destruction of the crystal lattice of the original hydroxides and the formation of ferrite-spinel, "said co-author Alexei Nikitin, engineer of the Biomedical Nanomaterials Laboratory at MISIS University.

According to the researchers, the synthesized MHF CoFe2O due to the rod-like shape demonstrate high efficiency in magnetmechanical destruction of malignancies in invitro experiments, and can also be used as a contrast medium for MRI.

The scientists plan to continue research and modify magnetic nanoparticles with specific molecules in order to bind particles to cellular receptors and control receptor activity under the influence of external magnetic fields.