20.500.12556/DiRROS-29663 Glucose coated FeO@Fe3O4 nanoparticles show tunable catalytic reactivity and safety in a 3D hepatic in vitro model Iron-oxide magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) have been extensively investigated as magnetically actuated nanocatalysts for diagnostic and therapeutic applications. However, because wüstite/magnetite/maghemite phases can interconvert, coexisting Fe2+/Fe3+ species may redirect Fenton-like chemistry and generate reactive oxygen species (ROS) profiles that differ from the intended biocatalytic pathway. Here, we investigate monodisperse biphasic FeO@Fe3O4 core-shell MNPs with an average particle size ⟨d⟩ = 9.6(5) nm, and their glucose-coated analogue, combining EPR radical analysis with toxicity testing in a 3D HepG2 hepatic spheroid model. Naked particles exhibited conventional Fenton-like behavior dominated by hydroxyl radicals (⋅OH), whereas glucose coating markedly suppressed ⋅OH while increasing hydroperoxyl radicals (⋅OOH; ≈55 pM at 60 min), demonstrating ligand-controlled rerouting of the radical pathway. TEM mapping across spheroid cross-sections showed preferential MNP accumulation in the outer layer, with most observed events confined to the outer ≈10–15 μm, corresponding to an approximately one-cell-thick rim; sparse deeper events were observed up to ≈30–35 μm. MNPs produced dose- and time-dependent cytotoxicity in HepG2 spheroids, with IC50 values of 29.3 (24 h) and 10.8 (96 h) µg·cm− 2, without evidence of lipid peroxidation or genotoxicity. MDA levels remained unchanged, the comet assay showed no increase in DNA damage, and γH2AX and phospho-H3 (p-H3) positive events were not detected. Our results show that glucose functionalization provides a simple route to modulate radical pathways and define operational windows for redox-active FeO@Fe3O4 nano-reactors in oxidative nanomedicine. iron-oxide nanoparticles Fenton-like catalysis cytotoxicity genotoxicity HepG2 spheroids 3D in vitro modeli citotoksičnost genotoksičnost magnetni nanodelci fizikalno-kemijska karakterizacija true false true Angleški jezik Slovenski jezik Neznano 2026-06-02 14:02:23 2026-06-02 14:02:23 2026-06-03 03:56:40 0000-00-00 00:00:00 2026 0 0 Nasl. z nasl. zaslona; Soavtorji: Iza Rozman, Elin L. Winkler, Enio Lima Jr., Alja Štern, Katja Kološa, Bojana Žegura & Gerardo F. Goya; Opis vira z dne 15. 5. 2026; str. [1-93] [article no.] Vol. 2026 0000-00-00 PostprintKoncna VTisku NiDoloceno 0000-00-00 0000-00-00 2026-05-12 577.2 2045-2322 10.1038/s41598-026-52667-5 278357251 https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-026-52667-5 1 ecd78ccd-5e7a-11f1-8e51-001a4af901a5 https://dirros.openscience.si/Dokument.php?lang=slv&id=44545 RAZ_Morales_Ovalle_Marco_A._2026.pdf RAZ_Morales_Ovalle_Marco_A._2026.pdf 1 0D1DA7F367C2A66D5AE5603034F6ADC1 12ae09a558036b5a493e6bfa7b4fb65f02d17fbf2290a1a01fa2e62ee74c83e8 1d993b91-5e7b-11f1-8e51-001a4af901a5 https://dirros.openscience.si/Dokument.php?lang=slv&id=44547 Nacionalni inštitut za biologijo 0 0 0