•Tb-doped MnCO3 NPs were prepared by the thermal decomposition method.•Tb-doped MnCO3 NPs exhibit distinct intrinsic PL.•Tb-doped MnCO3 NPs have a high r1 relaxivity of 4.0428 mM−1 s−1.•Tb-doped MnCO3 NPs lead to an MR contrast enhancement towards glioma.Herein, we present the first example of manganese carbonate (MnCO3) nanoparticles (NPs) featuring intrinsic photoluminescence (PL) and magnetic resonance (MR) imaging capacity by Terbium (Tb) doping. The Tb-doped MnCO3 NPs were prepared by one-step thermal decomposition of Mn-oleate precursor in the presence of Tb-oleate. The oleate capped Tb-doped MnCO3 NPs are in rhombohedral shape with an average size of about 13 nm. When endowed with high water-dispersible via replacing oleate with carboxylic silane, the Tb-doped MnCO3 NPs exhibit distinct intrinsic PL originated from the doped Tb3+ ions. Meanwhile, the MR imaging capacity of Tb-doped MnCO3 NPs is well retained, as demonstrated by a high r1 relaxivity of 4.0428 mM−1 s−1 and a significant MR contrast enhancement effect towards tiny brain glioma in mice.Tb-doped MnCO3 NPs synthesized by a thermal decomposition of Mn-oleate in the presence of Tb-oleate exhibit intrinsic photoluminescence and significant magnetic resonance imaging contrast enhancement towards tiny brain glioma in mice.

The application of superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles as a magnetic resonance (MR) nanoprobe for brain glioma is limited by the insufficient specificity and accumulation at the tumor site. To increase brain glioma-targeting specificity and improve MR contrast effect, dual-target has been employed. However, up to now, little work has been done to ascertain if the relative length of the dual-target plays a role in targeting. Herein, we prepared Cy5.5-labeled Fe3O4 NPs with chlorotoxin (CTX)/PEGylated folic acid (PEG-FA) dual-target of different relative lengths. The effect of dual-target relative length on targeting specificity was investigated by in vitro cellular uptake and in vivo MR/NIR imaging in brain glioma-bearing mice. It was demonstrated that the targeting ability of the dual-targeting Fe3O4 NPs could be modulated by adjusting the relative length of dual-target, suggesting that the relative length of dual-target plays a role in brain glioma targeting.

•The FA-c(RGDyK) dual-targeting, Cy5.5 labeled Fe3O4 nanoprobes were prepared.•The dual-targeting nanoprobes were applied for MR/NIR imaging of gliomas.•The synergistic targeting ability of dual-targeting nanoprobes was demonstrated.•The density of dual-target plays an important role in targeting specificity.A major limit of superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs) as a magnetic resonance (MR) imaging nanoprobe in clinical applications is that the SPIONs are unable to reach sufficient concentrations at the tumor site by passive targeting to produce an obvious contrast effect for tumor imaging. Single-targeting SPIONs systems have been applied to improve the contrast effect. However, they still suffer from a lack of efficiency and specificity of the SPIONs to tumors. Herein, we developed folic acid (FA) and cyclic Arg-Gly-Asp-D-Tyr-Lys (c(RGDyK)) dual-targeting nanoprobes based on Cy5.5 labeled Fe3O4 nanoparticles (NPs). The synergistic targeting ability of the dual-targeting Fe3O4 NPs and the effect of the dual-target density on targeting specificity were investigated in brain glioma-bearing mice. In vivo T2-weighted MR imaging of brain glioma-bearing mice and ex vivo near-infrared imaging of brains harboring gliomas suggested that the combination of dual-target increased the uptake of NPs by glioma, consequently, enhanced the contrast effect. Moreover, it was revealed that the density of dual-target plays an important role in targeting specificity.

Manganese (Mn)-based nanoparticles have been proved to be promising MR T1 contrast agents for the diagnosis of brain tumors. However, most of them exhibit a low relaxation rate, resulting in an insufficient enhancement effect on tiny gliomas. Herein, we developed gadolinium (Gd)-doped MnCO3 nanoparticles with a size of 11 nm via the thermal decomposition of Mn-oleate in the presence of Gd-oleate. Owing to the small size and Gd doping, these Gd-doped MnCO3 NPs, when endowed with excellent aqueous dispersibility and colloidal stability, exhibited a high r1 relaxivity of 6.81 mM–1 s–1. Moreover, the Gd/MnCO3 NPs were used as a reliable platform to construct a glioma-targeted MR/fluorescence bimodal nanoprobe. The high relaxivity, the bimodal imaging capability, and the specificity nominate the multifunctional Gd doped MnCO3 NPs as an effective nanoprobe for the diagnostic imaging of tiny brain gliomas with an improved efficacy.

•MnO NPs were prepared by a thermal decomposition method.•Water dispersible MnO NPs were obtained by carboxyl silane modification.•PEG-Cy5.5 conjugated MnO NPs were fabricated as a dual-modal nanoprobe.•MnO-PEG-Cy5.5 nanoprobe enables a better detection of brain gliomas.The fusion of molecular and anatomical modalities facilitates more reliable and accurate detection of tumors. Herein, we prepared the PEG-Cy5.5 conjugated MnO nanoparticles (MnO-PEG-Cy5.5 NPs) with magnetic resonance (MR) and near-infrared fluorescence (NIRF) imaging modalities. The applicability of MnO-PEG-Cy5.5 NPs as a dual-modal (MR/NIRF) imaging nanoprobe for the detection of brain gliomas was investigated. In vivo MR contrast enhancement of the MnO-PEG-Cy5.5 nanoprobe in the tumor region was demonstrated. Meanwhile, whole-body NIRF imaging of glioma bearing nude mouse exhibited distinct tumor localization upon injection of MnO-PEG-Cy5.5 NPs. Moreover, ex vivo CLSM imaging of the brain slice hosting glioma indicated the preferential accumulation of MnO-PEG-Cy5.5 NPs in the glioma region. Our results therefore demonstrated the potential of MnO-PEG-Cy5.5 NPs as a dual-modal (MR/NIRF) imaging nanoprobe in improving the diagnostic efficacy by simultaneously providing anatomical information from deep inside the body and more sensitive information at the cellular level.

Integrating T1- and T2-components of magnetic resonance (MR) imaging into a single particle has been demonstrated to be effective for improving the diagnostic accuracy. However, a T1–T2 dual modal MR contrast agent with glioma targeting ability remains unexplored. In this study, we prepared gourd-shaped Fe3O4/MnO hybrid NPs with a size of 25 nm through a thermal decomposition method. The water dispersibility was then obtained via a ligand exchange process with carboxylic acid-terminated silane. The sequential conjugation of chlorotoxin (CTX) and Cy5.5 on the carboxyl groups of attached silane endowed Fe3O4/MnO hybrid NPs with near-infrared fluorescence and glioma-targeting characteristics. The in vitro studies confirmed the targeting ability of Fe3O4/MnO–Cy5.5–CTX NPs toward C6 glioma cells. The in vivo T1–T2 dual modal MR imaging of glioma-bearing brain verified that the CTX conjugation led to a better contrast enhancement of the tumour tissue from the normal tissue both in T1 and T2 imaging, comparing to unconjugated NPs, which could enable more accurate diagnosis of gliomas.

Lanthanide-ion doped NaGdF4 nanoparticles (NPs) have been exploited as a new generation of MRI/optical probes. However, it remains difficult for these NPs to image tiny brain gliomas due to low specificity and limited accumulation. To circumvent this obstacle, chlorotoxin (CTX) was conjugated onto Ho3+ doped NaGdF4 (CTX-NaGdF4:Ho3+) to render a glioma-specific targeted MRI/optical probe. Both confocal laser scanning microscopy and flow cytometry demonstrated the targeting ability of CTX-NaGdF4:Ho3+ NPs towards glioma cells in vitro. Furthermore, in vivo MRI and fluorescence imaging of the tiny brain gliomas in mice confirmed that the CTX-NaGdF4:Ho3+ NPs could lead to a significant contrast enhancement effect and a clearer boundary between glioma and normal tissue. In addition, the CTX-NaGdF4:Ho3+ NPs exhibited a low cytotoxicity and no detectable tissue damages. Therefore, the CTX-NaGdF4:Ho3+ NPs could potentially serve as an MRI/optical probe for the detection of tiny brain gliomas.

Detection of brain gliomas at the earliest stage is of great importance to improve outcomes, but it remains a most challenging task. In this study, oleic acid capped manganese oxide (MnO) nanoparticles (NPs) were prepared by the thermal decomposition of manganese oleate precursors and then transformed to water-dispersible MnO NPs by replacing oleic acid with N-(trimethoxysilylpropyl) ethylene diamine triacetic acid (TETT) silane. The covalently bonded TETT silane offers MnO NPs colloidal stability and abundant carboxylic functional groups allowing the further conjugation of the glioma-specific moiety, folic acid (FA). Moreover, the thin layer of TETT silane ensures a short distance between external Mn ion and water proton, which endows the FA-conjugated, TETT modified MnO (MnO-TETT-FA) NPs a longitudinal relaxivity as high as 4.83 mM–1 s–1. Accordingly, the in vivo magnetic resonance (MR) images demonstrated that MnO-TETT-FA NPs could efficiently enhance the MRI contrast for tiny brain gliomas. More importantly, due to the specificity of FA, MnO-TETT-FA NPs led to a clearer margin of the tiny glioma. This together with the good biocompatibility discloses the great potential of MnO-TETT-FA NPs as effective MRI contrast agents for the early diagnosis of brain gliomas.Keywords: folic acid (FA); magnetic resonance imaging (MRI); manganese oxide nanoparticles (MnO NPs); tiny brain glioma

•A T1–T2 dual-modal contrast agent (PEG-GdIO) were synthesized by the polyol method.•PEG-GdIO NPs showed a high r1 value and a low r2/r1 ratio.•The ability of PEG-GdIO NPs in T1–T2 MRI for brain glioma was demonstrated.•The in vivo and in vitro studies confirmed the biocompatibility of PEG-GdIO NPs.To overcome the negative contrast limitations of iron oxide-based contrast agents and to improve the biocompatibility of Gd-chelate contrast agents, PEGylated Gd-doped iron oxide (PEG-GdIO) NPs as a T1–T2 dual-modal contrast agent were synthesized by the polyol method. The transverse relaxivity (r2) and longitudinal relaxivity (r1) of PEG-GdIO were determined to be 66.9 and 65.9 mM−1 s−1, respectively. The high r1 value and low r2/r1 ratio make PEG-GdIO NPs suitable as a T1–T2 dual-modal contrast agent. The in vivo MRI demonstrated a brighter contrast enhancement in T1-weighted image and a simultaneous darken effect in T2-weighted MR image compared to the pre-contrast image in the region of glioma. Furthermore, the biocompatibility of PEG-GdIO NPs was confirmed by the in vitro MTT cytotoxicity and in vivo histological analyses (H&E). Therefore, PEG-GdIO NPs hold great potential in T1–T2 dual-modal imaging for the diagnosis of brain glioma.

An enhanced contrast in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with high specificity and low toxicity is of great importance in the accurate diagnosis and delineation of gliomas for improved outcomes. In this study, a glioma-targeted contrast agent was designed and prepared by conjugating chlorotoxin (CTX) to poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) coated Gd2O3 nanoparticles (CTX-PEG-Gd2O3 NPs). The r1 value of CTX-PEG-Gd2O3 NPs was measured to be 8.41 mM−1 s−1, which is higher than that of commercially available Gd-DTPA (4.57 mM−1 s−1). The T1 contrast enhancement with a prolonged retention period up to 24 h within the brain glioma due to CTX conjugation was demonstrated. Moreover, cell viability and histological analysis verified the low cytotoxicity and the good biocompatibility of CTX-PEG-Gd2O3 NPs. Therefore, our study nominates CTX-PEG-Gd2O3 NPs as a promising glioma-targeted T1 contrast agent that allows more accurate diagnosis and delineation of brain gliomas.

To improve the magnetic properties and MRI contrast effect of Fe3O4 superparamagnetic nanoparticles (NPs), a series of oleate-capped, Mn-doped MnxFe(1−x)Fe2O4 (x ≤ 0.4) NPs was prepared via a thermal decomposition method and subsequently assembled into nanoclusters by the carboxylic silane. The effects of Mn doping and clustering on the magnetization, relaxivity and contrast enhancement of the MnxFe(1−x)Fe2O4 (x ≤ 0.4) NPs were studied. Our results revealed that the MnxFe(1−x)Fe2O4 NPs exhibited the highest saturation magnetization of 82.55 emu g−1 when x = 0.05. Correspondingly, the assembled Mn0.05Fe(1−0.05)Fe2O4 nanoclusters showed the highest relaxivity value of 528 (Mn + Fe) mM−1 s−1 and an enhanced MRI contrast in mouse liver. In addition, the MTT and H&E analysis confirmed that Mn0.05Fe(1−0.05)Fe2O4 nanoclusters were non-toxic. Therefore, the biocompatible Mn0.05Fe(1−0.05)Fe2O4 nanoclusters with superior relaxometric properties hold great potential in serving as a novel MRI nanoprobe.

The oleate-capped β-NaGdF4 nanoparticles (NPs) with uniform size and high crystallinity synthesized by thermal decomposition were converted to water-dispersible Gd3+–NaGdF4, LF-NaGdF4, and TETT-NaGdF4 NPs via different surface modifications with GdCl3, HCl, and carboxylic silane, respectively. The effect of surface functionalities on relaxation properties and T1-weighted MR images were investigated. In vitro relaxivity measurements revealed that the r1 value of Gd3+–NaGdF4 (4.64 mM−1 s−1) was higher than that of TETT-NaGdF4 (1.81 mM−1 s−1) and LF-NaGdF4 (0.85 mM−1 s−1). In vivo liver MRI consistently showed that the T1-weighted signal obtained from Gd3+–NaGdF4 was stronger than that from TETT-NaGdF4 and LF-NaGdF4 at an equivalent Gd3+ dosage. These findings suggest that different surface functionalities play an important role in manipulating the relaxometric properties of NaGdF4 NPs. In addition, the excellent biocompatibility of the water-dispersible NPs was demonstrated by in vitro cytotoxicity assays (MTT) in C6 cells and in vivo histological analyses (H&E) of major organs.

The blood–brain barrier (BBB) restricts the delivery of many potentially important therapeutic agents for the treatment of brain disorders. An efficient strategy for brain targeted delivery is the utilization of the targeting ligand conjugated nanoparticles to trigger the receptor-mediated transcytosis. In this study, transferrin (Tf) was employed as a brain targeting ligand to functionalize the fluorescein-loaded magnetic nanoparticles (FMNs). The Tf conjugated FMNs (Tf-FMNs) were characterized by transmission electron microscopy, thermal gravimetric analysis, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Using fluorescein as an optical probe, the potential of Tf-FMNs as brain targeting drug carriers was explored in vivo. It was demonstrated that Tf-FMNs were able to cross the intact BBB, diffuse into brain neurons, and distribute in the cytoplasm, dendrites, axons, and synapses of neurons. In contrast, magnetic nanoparticles without Tf conjugation cannot cross the BBB efficiently under the same conditions. Therefore, Tf-FMNs hold great potential in serving as an efficient multifunctional platform for the brain-targeted theranostics.

The unique properties of nanodiamonds (NDs) such as chemical stability, surface modifiability and remarkable biocompatibility impart them with a great opportunity to be versatile platforms for drug delivery. In this study, chemotherapeutic doxorubicin (DOX) and cell penetrating peptide TAT were conjugated to the surface of NDs in sequence through carbodiimide coupling in order to avoid premature release and enhance the intracellular delivery of DOX. The cytotoxicity, intracellular location and cellular uptake of DOX-conjugated NDs with or without TAT were evaluated in C6 glioma cells. Our results revealed that conjugation of TAT to ND–DOX could enhance the translocation across the cell membrane and exhibit a higher cytotoxicity effect than free DOX. This antitumor drug and penetrating peptide-conjugated ND drug delivery system therefore represents a novel delivery system with promoted antineoplastic activity of therapeutics and minimized side effects.

Highly water-dispersible titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanoparticles with abundant carboxyl groups were synthesized through a ligand exchange method. Chemotherapeutic doxorubicin (DOX) was then loaded on the TiO2 nanoparticles by non-covalent complexation (TiO2/DOX) or covalent conjugation (TiO2-DOX). The cytotoxicity, cellular uptake, and intracellular location of the two formulations were evaluated in C6 glioma cells. Our results showed that TiO2/DOX exhibited a greater cytotoxicity toward C6 cells than free DOX, while TiO2-DOX showed decreased cytotoxicity. A higher cellular uptake of TiO2-DOX was correlated with greater cytotoxicity of TiO2/DOX. In addition, confocal laser scanning microscopy demonstrated that most of the DOX was located inside the nuclei in TiO2/DOX. In contrast, TiO2-DOX was predominantly distributed in the cytoplasm. Thus, our work demonstrates that the therapeutic efficacy of TiO2-loaded DOX is strongly dependent on its loading mode and this provides important information for the future applications of TiO2 as a drug carrier.

TiO2 microspheres constructed by well-crystallized faceted nanorods with high aspect ratios expose 100% photocatalytic reactive {111} facets on the spherical surface. The microspheres demonstrated excellent photocatalytic antibacterial activity towards Staphylococcus aureus due to effective suppression of photoinduced electron–hole pair recombination and active TiO2@˙OH core–shell structure.

The interaction of bovine serum albumin (BSA) with raloxifene was assessed via fluorescence spectroscopy. The number of binding sites and the apparent binding constants between raloxifene and BSA were analyzed using the Tachiya model and Stern-Volmer equation, respectively. The apparent binding constant and the number of binding sites at 298 K were 2.33×105 L⋅mol−1 and 1.0688 as obtained from the Stern-Volmer equation and 2.00×105 L⋅mol−1 and 2.6667 from the Tachiya model. The thermodynamic parameters ΔH and ΔS were calculated to be 69.46 kJ⋅mol−1 and 121.12 J⋅K−1⋅mol−1, respectively, suggesting that the force acting between raloxifene and BSA was mainly a hydrophobic interaction. The binding distance between the donor (BSA) and acceptor (raloxifene) was 4.77 nm according to Förster’s nonradiational energy transfer theory. It was also found that common metal ions such as K+, Cu2+, Zn2+, Mg2+ and Ca2+ decreased the apparent association constant and the number of binding sites between raloxifene and BSA.

The interaction between hyperoside and bovine serum albumin (BSA) was examined by fluorescence spectroscopy at 298, 304, and 310 K. The spectroscopic data were analyzed using Tachiya model and Stern–Volmer equation to determine the binding sites and apparent binding constant between hyperoside and BSA. For Tachiya model, both binding sites and apparent binding constants increased with the increasing of temperature, whereas for Stern–Volmer equation, the corresponding binding constants decreased as temperature increasing and the binding sites were independent of temperature. The positive sign of enthalpy change (ΔH) and entropy change (ΔS) suggested that hydrophobic forces played a major role in the interaction. Synchronous fluorescence spectra indicated that the conformation of protein was perturbed by the interaction of hyperoside with BSA. Moreover, the presence of metal ion affected the hyperoside-BSA binding.

The cellular uptake efficiency of nanoparticles depends mainly on the surface characteristics of these materials. In this study, amine- and ester-terminated polyamidoamine (PAMAM) dendrimers were used to functionalize fluorescein-doped magnetic mesoporous silica nanoparticles (FMNPs) to evaluate the effect of surface functionality on cellular uptake by glioma cells. The successful synthesis of these materials was confirmed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and zeta potential titration. Neither of these materials showed acute cytotoxicity and it was demonstrated that the different surface functionalities regulated the ability of the nanoparticles to cross cell membranes. In addition to serving as an imaging agent, fluorescein isothiocyanate isomer I (FITC) was used as a model drug to evaluate the drug release rates of these drug delivery systems.

The unique properties of nanodiamonds (NDs) such as chemical stability, surface modifiability and remarkable biocompatibility impart them with a great opportunity to be versatile platforms for drug delivery. In this study, chemotherapeutic doxorubicin (DOX) and cell penetrating peptide TAT were conjugated to the surface of NDs in sequence through carbodiimide coupling in order to avoid premature release and enhance the intracellular delivery of DOX. The cytotoxicity, intracellular location and cellular uptake of DOX-conjugated NDs with or without TAT were evaluated in C6 glioma cells. Our results revealed that conjugation of TAT to ND–DOX could enhance the translocation across the cell membrane and exhibit a higher cytotoxicity effect than free DOX. This antitumor drug and penetrating peptide-conjugated ND drug delivery system therefore represents a novel delivery system with promoted antineoplastic activity of therapeutics and minimized side effects.

Lanthanide-ion doped NaGdF4 nanoparticles (NPs) have been exploited as a new generation of MRI/optical probes. However, it remains difficult for these NPs to image tiny brain gliomas due to low specificity and limited accumulation. To circumvent this obstacle, chlorotoxin (CTX) was conjugated onto Ho3+ doped NaGdF4 (CTX-NaGdF4:Ho3+) to render a glioma-specific targeted MRI/optical probe. Both confocal laser scanning microscopy and flow cytometry demonstrated the targeting ability of CTX-NaGdF4:Ho3+ NPs towards glioma cells in vitro. Furthermore, in vivo MRI and fluorescence imaging of the tiny brain gliomas in mice confirmed that the CTX-NaGdF4:Ho3+ NPs could lead to a significant contrast enhancement effect and a clearer boundary between glioma and normal tissue. In addition, the CTX-NaGdF4:Ho3+ NPs exhibited a low cytotoxicity and no detectable tissue damages. Therefore, the CTX-NaGdF4:Ho3+ NPs could potentially serve as an MRI/optical probe for the detection of tiny brain gliomas.

TiO2 microspheres constructed by well-crystallized faceted nanorods with high aspect ratios expose 100% photocatalytic reactive {111} facets on the spherical surface. The microspheres demonstrated excellent photocatalytic antibacterial activity towards Staphylococcus aureus due to effective suppression of photoinduced electron–hole pair recombination and active TiO2@˙OH core–shell structure.

To improve the magnetic properties and MRI contrast effect of Fe3O4 superparamagnetic nanoparticles (NPs), a series of oleate-capped, Mn-doped MnxFe(1−x)Fe2O4 (x ≤ 0.4) NPs was prepared via a thermal decomposition method and subsequently assembled into nanoclusters by the carboxylic silane. The effects of Mn doping and clustering on the magnetization, relaxivity and contrast enhancement of the MnxFe(1−x)Fe2O4 (x ≤ 0.4) NPs were studied. Our results revealed that the MnxFe(1−x)Fe2O4 NPs exhibited the highest saturation magnetization of 82.55 emu g−1 when x = 0.05. Correspondingly, the assembled Mn0.05Fe(1−0.05)Fe2O4 nanoclusters showed the highest relaxivity value of 528 (Mn + Fe) mM−1 s−1 and an enhanced MRI contrast in mouse liver. In addition, the MTT and H&E analysis confirmed that Mn0.05Fe(1−0.05)Fe2O4 nanoclusters were non-toxic. Therefore, the biocompatible Mn0.05Fe(1−0.05)Fe2O4 nanoclusters with superior relaxometric properties hold great potential in serving as a novel MRI nanoprobe.

Highly water-dispersible titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanoparticles with abundant carboxyl groups were synthesized through a ligand exchange method. Chemotherapeutic doxorubicin (DOX) was then loaded on the TiO2 nanoparticles by non-covalent complexation (TiO2/DOX) or covalent conjugation (TiO2-DOX). The cytotoxicity, cellular uptake, and intracellular location of the two formulations were evaluated in C6 glioma cells. Our results showed that TiO2/DOX exhibited a greater cytotoxicity toward C6 cells than free DOX, while TiO2-DOX showed decreased cytotoxicity. A higher cellular uptake of TiO2-DOX was correlated with greater cytotoxicity of TiO2/DOX. In addition, confocal laser scanning microscopy demonstrated that most of the DOX was located inside the nuclei in TiO2/DOX. In contrast, TiO2-DOX was predominantly distributed in the cytoplasm. Thus, our work demonstrates that the therapeutic efficacy of TiO2-loaded DOX is strongly dependent on its loading mode and this provides important information for the future applications of TiO2 as a drug carrier.

The cellular uptake efficiency of nanoparticles depends mainly on the surface characteristics of these materials. In this study, amine- and ester-terminated polyamidoamine (PAMAM) dendrimers were used to functionalize fluorescein-doped magnetic mesoporous silica nanoparticles (FMNPs) to evaluate the effect of surface functionality on cellular uptake by glioma cells. The successful synthesis of these materials was confirmed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and zeta potential titration. Neither of these materials showed acute cytotoxicity and it was demonstrated that the different surface functionalities regulated the ability of the nanoparticles to cross cell membranes. In addition to serving as an imaging agent, fluorescein isothiocyanate isomer I (FITC) was used as a model drug to evaluate the drug release rates of these drug delivery systems.