LAUSR

Design and development of drug delivery nanocarriers with high loading capacity, excellent biocompatibility, targeting ability and controllability have been the ultimate goal of the biomedical research community. In this work, we have reported synthesis and characterization of novel and smart thermoresponsive polymer coated and Fe3O4 embedded hollow mesoporous silica (HmSiO2) based multifunctional superparamagnetic nanocarriers for delivery of doxorubicin (Dox) for cancer treatment. P(NIPAM-MAm) coated and Fe3O4 NP embedded hollow mesoporous silica nanocomposite (HmSiO2-F-P(NIPAM-MAm)) was prepared by in situ polymerization of NIPAM and MAm monomers on the surface of hollow mesoporous silica nanoparticles (HmSiO2) in the presence of Fe3O4 NPs, oxidizer and cross linker. TEM analysis showed nearly spherical morphology of HmSiO2-F-P(NIPAM-MAm) nanocarrier with diameter in the range of 100-300 nm. Coating of P(NIPAM-MAm) layer and embedding Fe3O4 NPs on the surface of HmSiO2 NPs was revealed by HRTEM analysis. XRD and FTIR analysis also confirmed the presence of P(NIPAM-MAm) shells and Fe3O4 NPs on hollow mesoporous silica NPs. VSM analysis suggested superparamagnetic nature of HmSiO2-F-P(NIPAM-MAm) nanocarrier. DSC analysis of HmSiO2-F-P(NIPAM-MAm) nanocarrier showed a phase transition at temperature ~38 oC. The prepared HmSiO2-F-P(NIPAM-MAm) nanocarrier was investigated for its suitability for drug-delivery application using Doxorubicin as model drug by in vitro method. Encapsulation efficiency and Encapsulation capacity was found to be ~95% and ~6.8%, respectively. HmSiO2-F-P(NIPAM-MAm)-Dox has shown pH and temperature dependent Dox release profile. A relatively faster release of Dox from nanocarrier was observed at temperature above lower critical solution temperature (LCST) than below LCST. HmSiO2-F-P(NIPAM-MAm) nanocarrier was found to be biocompatible in nature. In vitro Cytotoxicity studies against hela cells suggested that the HmSiO2-F-P(NIPAM-MAm)-Dox nanocomposite nanocarrier has good anticancer activity. Thus, the prepared nanocomposites show potential as nanocarrier for targeted and controlled drug delivery for cancer treatment.