Fabrication of docetaxel surfaced Fe(3)O(4) magnetite nanoparticles and their cytotoxicity on 4 T1 breast cancer cells

BACKGROUND: In the recent years, there is an increasing attention to the using of Fe(3)O(4) magnetite nanoparticles (MNPs) as drug delivery systems. Application of this nanoparticles could profit advantages of nanomedicine to enhance biological activity of pharmaceutical ingredients. METHODS: Fe(3)O(4) MNPs were synthesised by a chemical method and characterized by transmission electron microscopy and energy-dispersive spectroscopy techniques. In the next step, docetaxel-coated Fe(3)O(4) MNPs were prepared, using percipitation method. The surface chemistry of docetaxel-coated Fe(3)O(4) MNPs as well as their thermal decomposition characteristics were examined using fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and thermogravimetric analyzer equipment, respectively. The cytotoxicity assay was conducted on 4 T1 breast cancer carsinoma by MTT assay to evaluate the possible in vitro antiproliferative effects of docetaxel-coated Fe(3)O(4) MNPs. RESULTS: During precipitation process, docetaxel molecules were precipitated on the surface of Fe(3)O(4) MNPs by the ratio of 3:100 w/w which indicates that each milligram of coated Fe(3)O(4) MNPs averagely contained 30 μg pure docetaxel compound. Docetaxel showed aniproliferative effects against mentioned cell line. The higestest concentartion of docetaxel (80 μg/ml) caused about 80% cell death. However, the results demostarted that much lower amounts of docetaxel will be needed in combination of Fe(3)O(4) MNPs to produce the potent antiproliferative effect compared to docetaxel alone. Dose response cytotoxicity assay of docetaxel-coated Fe(3)O(4) MNPs against 4 T1 breast cancer cells showed that lower amount of docetaxel (0.6 μg/ml) can exhibit higher cytotoxic effect against this cancer cell line (90% cell death).