Preparation of zinc oxide nanoparticles modified with galactose and assessment of their cytotoxic properties

The work presents a method for the preparation of zinc oxide nanoparticles coated with galactose. Bare zinc oxide nanoparticles are well-known and popular drug delivery vehicles. However, the fact that zinc ions may be easily released from their structure poses a threat to the living organism. Thus, the modification of this product has been performed. Materials were obtained according to fractional design of experiments with three input parameters on three variability levels. The physicochemical properties of the new materials have been analysed. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) technique revealed the crystallographic structures of the products. Based on attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy, it was confirmed that galactose has been successfully attached to the zinc oxide nanoparticles. Tunnelling electron microscopy energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (TEM-EDS) was employed to assess the shape of nanoparticles, and also to confirm the presence of galactose on the surface of the particles. The rate of the release of zinc ions from the modified products was compared to their release from the parent (non-modified) sample. In addition, the cytotoxicity and the effect of the obtained products on cell proliferation have been analysed using Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells. Cytotoxicity of all modified products was found to be lower than in basic material. That means that ROS generation in those innovative products contribute to cell killing mechanism to a lesser extent. It was found that the proposed technology may provide stable forms of modified zinc oxide nanoparticles with low toxicity. [GRAPHICS] .