Magnetic Iron Oxide Nanoparticles As a Local Source of Heat for Remotely Controlled Reaction

Magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles as a local source of heat for remotely controlled reaction

Ayse Beyza Aysan¹, Zdeněk Knejzlík^1,2, Aleš Zadražil¹, František Štěpánek¹

¹University of Chemistry and Technology, Faculty of Chemical Engineering Department, Prague, Technicka 5, 166 28 Prague 6, Tel. +420 220444320, E-mail: aysana@vscht.cz;

²Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Flemingovo náměstí 542/2, 166 10, Prague 6

 

Nanomaterials have seen considerable attention in biochemical processes due to their physical, chemical and biomedical properties. One of the promising classes of nanomaterials are magnetic nanoparticles with the ability to undergo down-stream modification making them biocompatible, nontoxic, high level accumulated in the target region and acting as a local source of heating in the presence of an radiofrequency alternating magnetic field (RFAMF). High surface area and engineered functional groups make from the nanoparticles an ideal tool for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), drug/gene carrier, tissue repair or heating mediators in hyperthermia.

 

The aim of the presentation is to use the colloidal magnetic nanoparticle suspension to initiate the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Firstly, magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (MNPs) were fabricated with relevant specifications and combined with PCR mixture containing all required components. Concordantly, we present a research about compatibility of MNPs with the PCR components and define the conditions for an effective PCR in the presence of high concentration of MNPs and regulate temperature cycles for PCR by RFAMF.

MNPs were fabricated successfully with different types of functional groups including sodium citrate dehydrate (Na₃C₆H₅O₇.2H₂O), 3-aminopropyl-triethoxysilane (APTES) and dextran 70 (from Leuconostoc spp., approximately Mw 70 kDa). After characterization of MNPs in terms of concentration, size distribution, surface morphology, and radiofrequency heating ability, they were used in PCR reaction to see the effect on the process. According to the results the response to the RF alternating magnetic field is proportional to the size and concentration of the nanoparticles. Dextran coated MNPs were stable in the PCR reaction mixture even in high concentration while the other types formed aggregates in excess of 1 µm. Experiments were focused on dextran coated MNPs in sufficiently high concentrations to achieve the required PCR temperature by exposure to an RF alternating magnetic field. Preliminary results showed that dextran coated MNPs in 5mg/ml concentration could increase the reaction temperature up to 97˚C which was sufficient to start the PCR reaction under RF alternating magnetic field.