Target Cancer Cells Through Complexes Of Di(Picolyl)Amine Modified Silica Core-Shell Nanospheres

Di(picolyl)amine modified silica nanoparticles were prepared by W/O microemulsion method. The coordination of metal ions (Mn(II) and Fe(III)) with di(pycolyl)amine modified nanoparticles produced two different size of nanospheres with the hydrodynamic diameter of approximately 60 nm and 5 nm, respectively. Three grafted silica nanospheres all display a great contrast enhancement in vitro indicating that they could accumulate in cancer cell, selectively. The Fe(III)-di(picolyl)amine complex modified nanosphere was a multifunctional nanoparticle to image and inhibit the proliferation of cancer cells, and Mn(II)-di(picolyl)amine complex modified nanosphere could only be used as a low toxic MRI agents. So antitumor complexes modified nanospheres would be new kinds of multifunctional nanoparticles to target the cancer cells actively through complex induced active intracellular accumulating.