Abstract
Gold is a multifunctional material that has been utilized in medicinal applications for centuries because it has been recognized for its bacteriostatic, anticorrosive, and antioxidative properties. Modern medicine makes routine, conventional use of gold and has even developed more advanced applications by taking advantage of its ability to be manufactured at the nanoscale and functionalized because of the presence of thiol and amine groups, allowing for the conjugation of various functional groups such as targeted antibodies or drug products. It has been shown that colloidal gold exhibits localized plasmon surface resonance (LPSR), meaning that gold nanoparticles can absorb light at specific wavelengths, resulting in photoacoustic and photothermal properties, making them potentially useful for hyperthermic cancer treatments and medical imaging applications. Modifying gold nanoparticle shape and size can change their LPSR photochemical activities, thereby also altering their photothermal and photoacoustic properties, allowing for the utilization of different wavelengths of light, such as light in the near-infrared spectrum. By manufacturing gold in a nanoscale format, it is possible to passively distribute the material through the body, where it can localize in tumors (which are characterized by leaky blood vessels) and be safely excreted through the urinary system. In this paper, we give a quick review of the structure, applications, recent advancements, and potential future directions for the utilization of gold nanoparticles in cancer therapeutics.
Highlights
INTRODUCTIONIn 2017, cancer was the second-most common cause of death in the United States, comprising 22.5% of the total number of deaths; 591,699 people died from complications related to cancer in 2017 (Heron, 2018)
Current Limitations in Conventional Cancer TherapiesIn 2017, cancer was the second-most common cause of death in the United States, comprising 22.5% of the total number of deaths; 591,699 people died from complications related to cancer in 2017 (Heron, 2018)
Bioconjugates were created in which human methyl binding domain protein 1 (MBD1) binds to methylated cytosine-guanine dinucleotides within sequences of short double-strand DNA, with hexahistidine peptides serving as nucleation sites for Gold nanoparticles (GNPs) synthesis
Summary
In 2017, cancer was the second-most common cause of death in the United States, comprising 22.5% of the total number of deaths; 591,699 people died from complications related to cancer in 2017 (Heron, 2018). Owing to the heterogeneous nature of cancer, there are currently no fully comprehensive approaches for treatment; options are mainly limited to chemotherapy, radiotherapy, immunotherapy, and surgery These approaches provide some therapeutic efficacy, they are limited by their risk to normal, healthy cells, their potential to destroy the immune system, or by conferring an increased risk for the development of secondary cancers (Nolsoe et al, 1993; Vogel and Venugopalan, 2003; Kievit and Zhang, 2011). For this reason, a large body of cancer therapy research focuses on finding effective therapies that can complement or even replace current therapies by improving efficacy and reducing inadvertent side effects
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