Multiparametric Toxicity Evaluation of SPIONs by High Content Screening Technique: Identification of Biocompatible Multifunctional Nanoparticles for Nanomedicine

Superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPION) have shown potential as multifunctional nanoparticles for theranostic applications. The assessment of toxicity and biocompatibility of the tailored product is, therefore, paramount to deliver commercially sound theranostic tools. In this study, a systematic approach to testing the cytotoxicity of three differently coated SPIONs derived from two synthesis methods (co-precipitation in water and thermal decomposition), with different coatings, and surface charges has been carried out. Toxicity and biocompatibility were investigated by automated high content screening of two breast cancer cell lines (MCF7, and BT474) and healthy (MCF10A) control exposed to incremental doses of the SPIONs up to 24 h in vitro. In the case of iron oxide coated with aminodextran (ADNH), this elicited pronounced effects on the permeability of BT474 with reflected evidence on the cell count reduction and lysosomal mass when compared to the aminopropylsilane (ASi), dimercaptosuccininc acid (DMSA/OD10) coated particles. More subtle effect was observed in the cell count of MCF7 cell line at the highest concentration of ADNH coated nanoparticle. Therefore, from the three cell lines used in this study it is possible to evince subtleness in the cell-specific cytotoxicity response.