Functionalized superparamagnetic nanoparticles for highly-efficient gene delivery.

Functionalized superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs) can play crucial roles for medical applications such as cancer magnetic induction hyperthermia, magnetic resonance imaging, and magnetofection. Gene therapy is an emerging area of biomedicine and has the potential to revolutionize the treatment of human disease. Herein we report the results of modified magnetic nanoparticles coated with protamine containing nuclear localization signal sequences. Thermogravimetric analysis, X-ray powder diffraction, cellular uptake, and gene magnetofection efficiency of protamine modified SPIONs were evaluated. SPIONs modified with protamine resulted in more cellular uptake and higher-efficient gene transfection in HepG2 cells. The work demonstrates that protamine modified SPIONs can be used as a novel kind of highly efficient magnetic mediator for magnetic induction hyperthermia combined with gene therapy.