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Glucose biofunctionalized magnetic nanoparticles

Authors: Alexandrina Nan, Rodica Turcu, Jürgen Liebscher

Keywords: functionalized magnetic nanoparticles, glucosamine, covalent bonding

Applications

Owing to their advantageous properties, magnetic nanoparticles featuring diverse coatings are remarkably valuable in the fields of nanomedicine, magnetic separation, organocatalysis, biosensors, and depollution:

(i) small size allows easy penetration and removal into/from the media of interest;

(ii) their magnetic character allows their external control;

(iii) they react via the groups with which they are functionalized, leading to a wide variety of potential practical applications.

Fe3O4 magnetic nanoparticles were biofunctionalized with glucose for potential applications in cancer treatment and nuclear imaging based on biomolecular recognition of cancer cells.

Innovative aspects

In order to use functionalized magnetic nanoparticles in various applications such as magnetic cell separation, biomolecular recognition, or organocatalysis, it is important that the functional group is attached to the nanoparticle surface through a stable bond. The covalent amide bond formed between the carboxyl group of lauric acid on the nanoparticle surface and the amino group in the glucosamine molecule is highly robust and stable. The method developed represents the first time that glucose has been directly bonded to magnetic nanoparticles through a strong and stable chemical bond.

Technology

The synthesis of magnetic nanoparticles functionalized with glucose molecules is a precise process that involves utilizing a magnetic fluid comprised of magnetite nanoparticles stabilized with a double layer of lauric acid in water alongside hydrochlorinated glucosamine as the initial constituents. The attachment reaction of hydrochlorinated glucosamine to the surface of the magnetic nanoparticles is achieved through the covalent bonding of the carboxyl groups on the nanoparticle surface with the amino group present in the glucosamine, employing robust coupling agents. The confirmation of the covalent binding of glucosamine on the magnetic nanoparticles is established through FTIR spectroscopy, which identifies an intense absorption band characteristic of amide bonding at 1636 cm-1 within the spectrum.

Advantages

  • Attaching biologically active glucose to the surface of magnetic nanoparticles
  • Functionalized magnetic nanoparticles exhibit stability in aqueous media and most organic solvents, and they demonstrate biocompatibility
  • Functionalized magnetic nanoparticles exhibit superparamagnetic behaviour, facilitating their efficient separation from diverse media
  • Biofunctionalized magnetic nanoparticles are obtained with low production costs
  • The preparation technology of these functionalized nanoparticles is straightforward and has been successfully scaled up to gram quantities.

Patent

Patent 128880 / 30.03.2018

Title: Bifunctionalization of magnetic nanoparticles by covalent attachment of glucose
Inventors: Nan Alexandrina Emilia, Turcu Rodica Paula, Liebscher Jürgen