Scalable production of calcite nanocrystals by atomization process: Synthesis, characterization and biological interactions study

Nowadays, there is strong interest in the development of smart inorganic nanostructured materials as tools for targeted delivery in cancer cells. We proposed a novel synthetic procedure of calcium carbonate nanocrystals (NCs) and their use as drug delivery systems, studying the physical chemical properties and the in vitro interaction with two model cancer cells. Pure and thermodynamically stable CaCO3 NCs in calcite phase were synthesized by a readily and feasible method, easily scalable, that allows the control of NCs shape and size without any surfactant use. CaCO3 NCs were extensively investigated by Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS), X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy and Brunauer–Emmett–Teller analysis (BET). To deeper investigate their possible use as nanovectors for drug cancer therapies, CaCO3 NCs biocompatibility (by MTT assay), cell interaction and internalization were studied in in vitro experiments on HeLa and MCF7 cell lines. Confocal and transmission electron microscopies were used to monitor and evaluate NCs-cell interaction and cellular uptake. Data here reported demonstrated that synthesized NCs readily penetrate HeLa and MCF7 cells. NCs preferentially localize inside the cytoplasm, but were also found into mitochondria, nucleus and lysosomes. This study suggests that synthesized CaCO3 NCs are good candidates as effective intracellular therapeutic delivery system.