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. 2025 Jan 22;15(1):2831.
doi: 10.1038/s41598-024-82480-x.

Formation and stability of green and low-cost magnetoliposomes of the soy lecithin, stigmasterol, and β-sitosterol for hyperthermia treatments

Affiliations

Formation and stability of green and low-cost magnetoliposomes of the soy lecithin, stigmasterol, and β-sitosterol for hyperthermia treatments

Rosangela Maria Ferreira da Costa E Silva et al. Sci Rep. .

Abstract

Magnetoliposomes containing magnetite, soy lecithin, stigmasterol, and beta-sitosterol of the mean size minor than 160 nm were obtained by a scalable and green process using autoclave and sonication without organic solvents. The formation, size of the liposome, linkage, and encapsulation of the magnetite were evaluated by Cryo-TEM. The stability of magnetoliposomes after storage for 6 months at 4 °C was improved by liposome size, the ability of soy lecithin to preserve the magnetite phase against oxidation, pH, polydispersity index, and zeta potential. The iron oxide phase stability was assessed using no conventional X-ray diffraction (high-resolution transmission electron microscopy), energy loss electron spectroscopy, and selected area electron diffraction) in time zero (fresh sample) and 6 months. The high zeta potential measured for magnetoliposomes, │53│ mV, indicated a low tendency to agglomerate. Lip-Fe3O4@lecithin with concentrations of 0.58 mg mL-1 of liposome showed high cell viability and are potential candidates for drug delivery and hyperthermia treatments in 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assays.

Keywords: CryO-TEM; EELS; Magnetite stability; SAED; Soy lecithin liposome.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declarations. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Typical Cryo-TEM of Lip (a) and Lip-Fe3O4@lecithin sample (b) fresh.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Typical TEM (at the top) and HRTEM images (at the bottom) of Lip-Fe3O4@lecithin sample after dried fresh (at left) and at 6 months (at right). The inset in each HRTEM image shows the fast Fourier transform (FFT). The spots on the FFT correspond to the lattice fringes observed in the HRTEM images.
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
(At the top) SAED patterns with the respective line profiles of the sample Lip- Fe3O4@lecithin samples fresh and at the 6 months of storage. (At the bottom) Simulated electron diffraction line profiles for maghemite and magnetite, and the experimental ones for Lip- Fe3O4@lecithin samples fresh and at the 6 months of storage.
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
EELS spectra of Lip-Fe3O4@lecithin (a) fresh and at the 6 months of storage.
Fig. 5
Fig. 5
MGSO-3 cell viability determined by an MTT assay for Lip and Lip-Fe3O4@lecithin. Mean cell viability was normalized by the mean viability of the control group. Error bars denote ± SD. Stars indicate statistical significance at the p ≤ 0.05 (*) level as determined by one-way ANOVA, followed by a Tukey’s post-test. The experiments were performed in biological triplicates (n = 3).

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