Effect of surface charge of magnetite nanoparticles on their internalization into breast cancer and umbilical vein endothelial cells

Internalization of magnetite nanoparticles with diameter of approximately 40 nm into normal and cancer cells was examined by microscopic observation and flow cytometry. Magnetite nanoparticles were synthesized by hydrolysis in an aqueous solution containing ferrous chloride with organic amines as a base. It was demonstrated that the difference in surface charge of magnetite nanoparticles brought about the difference in uptake efficiency. The nanoparticles with positive charge showed higher internalization into human breast cancer cells than the nanoparticles with negative charge, while the degree of internalization of the positively- and negatively-charged nanoparticles into human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) was almost the same.