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Beilstein Arch. 2026, 202622. https://doi.org/10.3762/bxiv.2026.22.v1
Published 02 Jul 2026
Thermoresponsive magnetic core/shell nanoparticles were developed for controlled drug delivery in cancer therapy. Polyhedral Zn₀.₄Fe₂.₆O₄@MnFe₂O₄ nanoparticles with two core sizes (22 and 50 nm) were synthesized and coated with a thermosensitive copolymer shell composed of 2-(2-methoxy)ethyl methacrylate and oligo(ethylene glycol) methacrylate units, P(MEO₂MA₆₀–OEGMA₄₀). The copolymer was grafted directly from the nanoparticle surface using aqueous ARGET-ATRP, providing a controlled and environmentally friendly functionalization strategy. Doxorubicin (DOX) was successfully encapsulated within the polymer shell and released upon heating above the lower critical solution temperature (LCST). Structural and compositional characterizations confirmed successful polymer grafting while preserving the crystalline integrity of the magnetic cores. Dynamic light scattering revealed a sharp thermoresponsive transition around 40–42 °C. Size-dependent magnetic and hyperthermia performances were observed, with larger nanoparticles exhibiting enhanced heating efficiency. Drug release studies in water and physiological medium (DMEM) demonstrated efficient temperature-dependent DOX release with distinct release profiles depending on nanoparticle size, attributed to differences in polymer grafting density and drug loading capacity. In vitro cytotoxicity assays on human ovarian cancer cells (SKOV-3) showed enhanced antitumoral activity of DOX-loaded nanoparticles compared with free DOX, while unloaded nanoparticles displayed low intrinsic toxicity. These results highlight thermoresponsive magnetic nanoparticles as a promising platform for temperature-responsive drug delivery and hyperthermia-assisted cancer therapy.
Keywords: Polyhedral core/shell MNPs thermosensitive polymers hyperthermia drug delivery ovarian cancer
When a peer-reviewed version of this preprint is available, this information will be updated in the information box above. If no peer-reviewed version is available, please cite this preprint using the following information:
Alem, H.; Louaguef, D.; Godier, C.; Emo, M.; Vigolo, B.; Ferji, K.; Mertz, D.; Bizeau, J.; Seemann, K. M.; Gries, T.; Aguilera Garrido, A.; ferjaoui, Z.; Lim, V.; Gaffet, E. Beilstein Arch. 2026, 202622. doi:10.3762/bxiv.2026.22.v1
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