Magnetoliposomes based on nickel/silica core/shell nanoparticles : synthesis and characterization

"Available online 18 September 2014"In the present work, nickel magnetic nanoparticles with diameters lower than 100nm, with and without silica shell, were synthesized by microheterogeneous templating. The magnetic properties of the nanoparticles show a typical ferromagnetic behavior with a coercive field of 80Oe. Dry magnetoliposomes (DMLs) with diameter between 58nm and 76nm were obtained from the synthesis of nanoparticles in the presence of a lipid or surfactant layer, and aqueous magnetoliposomes (AMLs) were obtained by encapsulation of the nanoparticles in liposomes. FRET (Förster resonance energy transfer) experiments were performed to study the non-specific interactions between aqueous magnetoliposomes and giant unilamellar vesicles (GUVs), as models of cell membranes. It was possible to detect membrane fusion between GUVs and AMLs containing both NBD-C6-HPC (donor) and the dye Nile Red (acceptor).This work was supported by FEDER through the COMPETE/QREN/EU Program and by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) in the framework of the Strategic Project of CFUM [PEst-C/FIS/UI0607/2013 (F-COMP-01-0124-FEDER-022711)] and through the research project PTDC/QUI/81238/2006 (FCOMP-01-0124-FEDER-007467). FCT, POPH-QREN and FSE are acknowledged for the PhD grant of A.R.O. Rodrigues (SFRH/BD/90949/2012) and for financial support to MAP-Fis PhD Programme