Magnetically Triggered Release of Entrapped Bioactive Proteins from Thermally Responsive Polymer-Coated Iron Oxide Nanoparticles for Stem-Cell Proliferation

Matthew Walker; Iain Will; Andrew Pratt; Victor Chechik; Paul Genever; Daniel Ungar

doi:10.1021/acsanm.0c01167

Magnetically Triggered Release of Entrapped Bioactive Proteins from Thermally Responsive Polymer-Coated Iron Oxide Nanoparticles for Stem-Cell Proliferation

ACS Appl Nano Mater. 2020 Jun 26;3(6):5008-5013. doi: 10.1021/acsanm.0c01167. Epub 2020 May 15.

Authors

Matthew Walker¹, Iain Will², Andrew Pratt³, Victor Chechik⁴, Paul Genever¹, Daniel Ungar¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Biology, University of York, York YO10 5DD, U.K.
² Department of Electronic Engineering, University of York, York YO10 5DD, U.K.
³ Department of Physics, University of York, York YO10 5DD, U.K.
⁴ Department of Chemistry, University of York, York YO10 5DD, U.K.

Abstract

Nanoparticles could conceal bioactive proteins during therapeutic delivery, avoiding side effects. Superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs) coated with a temperature-sensitive polymer were tested for protein release. We show that coated SPIONs can entrap test proteins and release them in a temperature-controlled manner in a biological system. Magnetically heating SPIONs triggered protein release at bulk solution temperatures below the polymer transition. The entrapped growth factor Wnt3a was inactive until magnetically triggered release, upon which it could increase mesenchymal stem cell proliferation. Once the polymer transition will be chemically adjusted above body temperature, this system could be used for targeted cell stimulation in model animals and humans.