Investigation through the anticancer properties of green synthesized spinel ferrite nanoparticles in present and absent of laser photothermal effect

Abstract

Plasmonic photothermal therapy (PPTT) by applying nanoparticles has attracted great attention as a new and effective adjuvant treatment for cancer in recent years. Ferromagnetic nanoparticles with good wavelength absorption in the infrared region are widely applied in the biomedicine field. In the present study, the CoFe2O4 and -ZnFe2O4 NPs were performed by applying Rutin extract, as a non-invasive and green synthesis method, for PPTT of MCF-7 breast cancer cells. Physical and structural characteristics were studied by using a Transmission electron microscope (TEM), Energy Dispersive X-Ray Analysis (EDX), Scanning electron microscope (SEM), Vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM) analysis, X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), and the Fourier-Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. Microscopic images confirmed a spherical shape with an average size of 29 and 25 nm for biosynthesized CoFe2O4 and ZnFe2O4 nanoparticles, respectively. It is also revealed that the biosynthesized CoFe2O4 and ZnFe2O4 nanoparticles exhibit ferromagnetic and superparamagnetic behavior, with saturation magnetization of 56.2 and 6 emu/g, respectively. Therefore, these nanoparticles revealed excellent and effective magnetic characteristics as an important factor in magnetic hyperthermia therapeutic applications. The results of the MTT assay and inverted stage microscope revealed significant photothermal efficacy of green synthesized CoFe2O4 and ZnFe2O4 nanoparticles combined with laser radiation against MCF-7 cells, however, this effect is more prominent for CoFe2O4 nanoparticles. MTT investigation proved the low and acceptable toxicity of these nanoparticles for normal cells as a critical parameter for biological applications.