Superparamagnetic nanoparticles as potential systems for the treatment of Duchenne muscular dystrophy.

This study aims to use superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs), specifically magnetite (FeO), to deliver deflazacort (DFZ) and ibuprofen (IBU) to Duchenne muscular dystrophy-affected (DMD) mouse muscles using an external magnetic field. The SPIONs are synthesized by the co-precipitation method, and their surfaces are functionalized with L-cysteine to anchor the drugs, considering that the cysteine on the surface of the SPIONs in the solid state dimerizes to form the cystine molecule, creating the FeO-(Cys)-DFZ and FeO-(Cys)-IBU systems for tests. The FeO nanoparticles (NPs) were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Raman spectroscopy, powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), dynamic light scattering (DLS), and magnetic measurements. The results show that the SPIONs have an average crystallite size of about 8 nm in the solid state and a hydrodynamic size of about 120 nm, which is suitable for biological applications in aqueous dispersion. The nanoparticles exhibit superparamagnetic behavior at room temperature and spherical-close morphology. In addition, vibrational modes characteristic of the functional groups of the molecules anchored to the surface of the SPIONs are identified. Data from blood tests of mice after seven consecutive days of treatment with nanoparticles confirm the non-toxic nature of the system and show an improvement in DMD, with normal levels of liver and kidney enzymes and a decrease in creatine kinase protein.