Covalent hyaluronic based coating of magnetite nanoparticles: Preparation, physicochemical and biological characterization.
In this paper we report about the preparation, physicochemical and biological characterization of a magneto responsive nanostructured material based on magnetite nanoparticles (NP) coated with hyaluronic acid (HA) A synthetic approach, based on a Cu(I) catalyzed azide alkyne 1,3 dipolar cycloaddition "click" reaction between azido functionalized magnetite NP and a derivative of hyaluronic acid bearing propargylated ferulic acid groups (HA FA Pg) was developed to link covalently the polymer layer to the magnetite NP. The functionalization steps of the magnetite NP and their coating with the HA FA Pg layer were monitored by Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and Thermal Gravimetric Analysis (TGA) while Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS) and z potential measurements were performed to characterize the aqueous dispersions of the HA coated magnetite NP. Aggregation and sedimentation processes were investigated also by UV visible spectroscopy and the dispersions of HA coated magnetite NP were found significantly more stable than those of bare NP. Magnetization and zero field cooled/field cooled curves revealed that both bare and HA coated magnetite NP are superparamagnetic at room temperature. Moreover, cytotoxicity studies showed that the coating with HA FA Pg significantly reduces the cytotoxicity of the magnetite NP providing the rational basis for the application of the HA coated magnetite NP as healthcare material.
Materials science engineering. C, Materials for biological applications