Magnetic nanoparticles have received considerable attention in nanomedicine due to their potential application as therapeutic or diagnostic tools based on their particular properties. However, prior to clinical application investigating the effect of these nanoparticles on cells is essential. The aim of the following study is therefore to evaluate the cytotoxicity of magnetic (Fe3O4) and gold-coated magnetic nanoparticles (Fe3O4@Au) on various cell lines in order to clarify the risk of these materials for human use. Toxicity of these nanoparticles on human dermal fibroblasts (SKIN), human squamous cell carcinoma cells (A431 cells) and human epidermal keratinocytes (HaCaT cells) were determined using the MTT assay. Results showed that, within the used concentration range, Fe3O4 nanoparticles had no significant effect on all investigated cell lines, while Fe3O4@Au nanoparticles seem to have a moderate toxicity on all cell lines with some selectivity for the malignant cells, although it is yet moderate. The different characteristic of the cell lines' survival with respect to incubation time and nanoparticle concentration could be partly due to different cell death modes. Therefore, the prepared Fe3O4 nanoparticles are harmless and could be applied safely for skin cancer treatment or diagnosis.
