Superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (NPs) have attracted significant attention because of their exceptional magnetic properties, low toxicity, and possible narrow size distribution. These qualities make them excellent candidates for therapeutic applications. A number of strategies have been developed to make these materials biocompatible including formation of virus-like nanoparticles (VNPs) with brome mosaic virus (BMV) proteins. Such VNPs have been made by our group utilizing 18-26nm iron oxide NPs cores coated with PEGylated phospholipids or alternating copolymers. This resulted in particles significantly exceeding the inner cavity of a native virion, not allowing the BMV shell ordering. A better strategy would be to coat 10-12nm iron oxide NPs with gold to take an advantage of gold-thiol interaction. Here we will discuss formation of VNPs based on iron oxide NPs coated with a thin gold layer and functionalized with PEG thiols. TEM, DLS, and SAXS were used to characterize free and encapsidated  NPs.

Gold coated iron oxide nanoparticles as cores for virus-like particles

246th National Meeting (2013)

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