The impact of gadolinium doping on physicochemical properties and neuroprotective activity of polyacrylic acid conjugated cerium oxide nanoparticles – in vitro study of potential theranostics for neurodegenerative diseases

BACKGROUND: Cerium oxide nanoparticles (CeO NPs) are showing neuroprotective effects in various experimental models of neurodegeneration. Doping of nanoparticles with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast agents (e.g., gadolinium) could enable simultaneous diagnosis and treatment of neurodegenerative diseases, a technology called theranostics that is used primarily in oncology but can also be successfully applied in the diagnosis and treatment of neurodegenerative diseases. METHODS: In this study, we doped polyacrylic acid conjugated cerium oxide nanoparticles with gadolinium (Gd-CeO) to create a theranostic agent with MRI capabilities and neuroprotective properties. These nanoparticles were evaluated for their physicochemical characteristics, magnetic resonance imaging potential, biosafety profile, cellular uptake, and neuroprotective effects compared to CeO nanoparticles (CeO) in a human neuronal model of Parkinson's disease employing undifferentiated and retinoic acid-differentiated SH-SY5Y cells. RESULTS: was confirmed in mouse primary cortical neurons. CONCLUSIONS: Since the developed Gd-CeO nanoparticles showed promising contrast features, as well as maintaining biosafety and neuroprotective properties similar to those of nanoparticles without Gd doping, they could be further investigated as a potential theranostic probe for neurodegenerative diseases, including Parkinson's disease.