Multifunctional Fe3O4–TiO2 nanocomposites for magnetic resonance imaging and potential photodynamic therapy

Abstract

Multifunctional Fe₃O₄–TiO₂ nanocomposites with Janus structure for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and potential photodynamic therapy (PDT) were synthesized, in which Fe₃O₄ was used as a MRI contrast agent and TiO₂ as an inorganic photosensitizer for PDT. Their morphology, structure, and MRI and PDT performance were characterized, respectively. Moreover, the location of Fe₃O₄–TiO₂ nanocomposites in MCF-7 cells was also investigated by the staining of Prussian blue and alizarin red, respectively. The results showed that the as-prepared Fe₃O₄–TiO₂ nanocomposites had good T₂-weighted MRI performance, and the MCF-7 cells incubated with nanocomposites could be killed under the irradiation of UV light. Compared with traditional organic photosensitizers, TiO₂ inorganic photosensitizers could have more stable PDT performance due to their nanoscale size and anti-photodegradable stability. Therefore, the as-prepared Fe₃O₄–TiO₂ nanocomposites could have potential applications as a new kind of multifunctional agent for both MRI and PDT.