Modified magnetic nanoparticles by PEG-400-immobilized Ag nanoparticles (Fe3O4@PEG–Ag) as a core/shell nanocomposite and evaluation of its antimicrobial activity

Kamiar Zomorodian,1,2 Hamed Veisi,3 Seyed Mahmoud Mousavi,4 Mahmoud Sadeghi Ataabadi,5 Somayeh Yazdanpanah,1,2 Jafar Bagheri,1 Ali Parvizi Mehr,1 Saba Hemmati,3 Hojat Veisi3 1Department of Medical Mycology, Basic Sciences in Infectious Diseases Research Center, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran; 2Department of Medical Mycology and Parasitology, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran; 3Department of Chemistry, Payame Noor University, Tehran, Iran; 4Department of Medical Parasitology, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran; 5Department of Reproductive Biology, School of Advanced Medical Sciences and Technologies, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran Background: Noble metal nanoparticles, due to their good physicochemical properties, have been exploited in biological applications. Among these metals, nanosilver has attracted great attention because of its optical properties and broad-spectrum antimicrobial activities with no drug tolerance. Purpose: The present study has attempted to conduct chemical synthesis of Fe3O4@PEG-Ag core/shell nanocomposites in aqueous solutions through co-precipitation of Fe3+ and Fe2+ ions, encapsulating the iron oxide core by poly (ethylene-glycol) (PEG) improve its hydrophilicity and biocompatibility, and immobilizing silver ions by application of NaBH4 as a reducing agent. Patients and methods: The synthesized structures were characterized by Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR), field emission scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectrum, wavelength-dispersive X-ray, vibrating sample magnetometer, inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry and transmission electron microscopy methods. Antimicrobial activity of the nanostructures against Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli and Candida albicans was evaluated by broth microdilution based on the methods suggested by Clinical Laboratory Standard Institute. Furthermore, the nanocomposite was tested for possible anti-parasitic effects against Leishmania major promastigotes by MTT assay. Also, its impacts on bacterial cell morphology were defined using atomic force microscopy. Moreover, toxicity of the nanostructure related to animal cell line was determined based on MTT assay. Results: In general, the synthesized core/shell nanostructure can demonstrate noticeable activity against the evaluated representative microorganisms while its toxicity against animal cell line is not considerable. Conclusion: This nanostructure can be applied as a smart drug delivery system with the help of an external magnetic field or it can be used as a powerful antibiotic agent along with other antibiotics that can form a shell on its structure. Keywords: Poly-ethylene-glycol, nanocomposite, AgNPs, antimicrobial propertie