Nanodispersions of magnetic poly(vinyl pivalate) for biomedical applications: Synthesis and in vitro evaluation of its cytotoxicity in cancer cells

[Display omitted] •Nanodispersions of magnetic PVPi were obtained intended for biomedical applications.•Superparamagnetic magnetite was properly modified with polymerizable oleic acid.•PVPi nanoparticles with superparamagnetic behavior were successfully synthesized.•Cell viability assays demonstrated low cytotoxicity to tumor and non-tumor cells.•Magnetopolymeric fluids can be used as embolic agent and for hyperthermia treatment. The development of polymeric nanomaterials, combining properties of polymers and superparamagnetic nanoparticles, has potential for biomedical applications, such as treatment of tumors through intravascular embolization and hyperthermia. Therefore, this work aims at development of a new magnetopolymeric fluid formed by magnetic nanoparticles of iron oxide (Fe3O4) coated with chemically modified oleic acid and which were uniformly dispersed in spherical nanoparticles of poly(vinyl pivalate) through in situ polymerization process via miniemulsion, synthesized using from 5.0 to 20.0 wt% of magnetic oxide in relation to vinyl pivalate content. Samples were characterized by infrared absorption vibration spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, dynamic light scattering, differential scanning calorimetry, X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, Mössbauer spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, vibrating sample magnetometer and magnetic induction heating test. Cytotoxicity was evaluated in vitro in B16F10 melanoma cancer cells, murine mammary adenocarcinoma (4T1-luciferase), NIH-3T3 fibroblast cells and human keratinocytes (HaCat). The magnetopolymeric fluids exhibited maximum conversions of approximately 82 %, hydrodynamic diameter of 180 nm, spherical morphology, preserved superparamagnetic behavior and glass transition temperature ranging from 56.2 to 62.5 °C. Cell viability tests demonstrated that nanocomposites presented low cytotoxicity to tumor and non-tumor cells at concentrations studied. These results suggest potential of magnetopolymeric fluids as an embolic agent for selective and complete obstruction of blood vessels of different sizes and capacity for treatment by hyperthermia.