Abstract
When exposed to an alternating magnetic field, superparamagnetic nanoparticles can elicit the required hyperthermic effect while also being excellent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast agents. Their main drawback is that they diffuse out of the area of interest in one or two days, thus preventing a continuous application during the typical several-cycle multi-week treatment. To solve this issue, our aim was to synthesise an implantable, biodegradable membrane infused with magnetite that enabled long-term treatment while having adequate MRI contrast and hyperthermic capabilities. To immobilise the nanoparticles inside the scaffold, they were synthesised inside hydrogel fibres. First, polysuccinimide (PSI) fibres were produced by electrospinning and crosslinked, and then, magnetitc iron oxide nanoparticles (MIONs) were synthesised inside and in-between the fibres of the hydrogel membranes with the well-known co-precipitation method. The attenuated total reflectance Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) investigation proved the success of the chemical synthesis and the presence of iron oxide, and the superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) study revealed their superparamagnetic property. The magnetic hyperthermia efficiency of the samples was significant. The given alternating current (AC) magnetic field could induce a temperature rise of 5 °C (from 37 °C to 42 °C) in less than 2 min even for five quick heat-cool cycles or for five consecutive days without considerable heat generation loss in the samples. Short-term (1 day and 7 day) biocompatibility, biodegradability and MRI contrast capability were investigated in vivo on Wistar rats. The results showed excellent MRI contrast and minimal acute inflammation.