Mg (1-x) Cu x Fe 2 O 4 superparamagnetic nanoparticles as nano-radiosensitizer agents in radiotherapy of MCF-7 human breast cancer cells.

Magnesium-doped copper spinel ferrite superparamagnetic nanoparticles (Mg _(1-x) Cu _x Fe ₂ O ₄ SPMNPs, 0.2 ≤ x ≤ 0.8) were successfully synthesized by a hydrothermal method. The cytotoxicity effects and cell viability of MCF-7 on human breast cancer cells pre and post exposure to the Mg _1-x Cu _x Fe ₂ O ₄ SPMNPs at different concentrations of 0.1, 1, 10 and 100 μg ml ^-1 under radiotherapy were studied by MTT (3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2, 5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) assay. Here, x-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, UV-visible spectrophotometry, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and vibrating-sample magnetometry were evaluated for the crystal structure, morphology, optical and magnetic property of the Mg _(1-x) Cu _x Fe ₂ O ₄ SPMNPs. The results showed that the Mg _(1-x) Cu _x Fe ₂ O ₄ SPMNPs all at x values had no significant cytotoxicity at concentrations of 0.1,1 and 10 μg ml ^-1 , but were enhanced by increasing of Cu content. Furthermore, cell destruction of MCF-7 human breast cancer cells post exposure to Mg _(1-x) Cu _x Fe ₂ O ₄ SPMNPs under x-ray irradiation was enhanced by increasing the Cu content and concentration. Superparamagnetic properties of the Mg _(1-x) Cu _x Fe ₂ O ₄ SPMNPs cause their localization and elimination, by only an external magnetic field. In conclusion, the Mg _(1-x) Cu _x Fe ₂ O ₄ SPMNPs with optimum values of x = 0.2 (10 μg ml ^-1 ) and x = 0.6 (1 μg ml ^-1 ) can be considered as a nano-radiosensitizer because of the synergistic treatment effect without cytotoxicity on the MCF-7 cells.