Design and characterization of biotinylated magnetic nanocapsules for breast cancer applications

Biotinylated nanostructures have been prepared by immobilization of biotin on the surface of doxorubicin-loaded magnetic nanocapsules based on N-palmitoyl chitosan and magnetite, via carbodiimide chemistry, in the presence of 1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethyl aminopropyl) carbodiimide hydrochloride and N-hydroxysuccinimide. The structure of biotinylated magnetic nanocapsules has been confirmed by Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy. Dynamic light scattering measurements showed that biotinylated nanocapsules exhibit a hydrodynamic mean diameter of about 250 nm and negative zeta potential. Biotinylated nanocapsules exhibited cytotoxic effects on MCF-7 cell line human breast adenocarcinoma and good redispersion ability in glucose solution, suitable characteristics for future breast cancer chemotherapy applications.