Abstract
Plasmonics-active gold nanoparticles offer excellent potential in molecular imaging and cancer therapy. Among them, gold nanostars (AuNS) exhibit cross-platform flexibility as multimodal contrast agents for macroscopic X-ray computer tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), positron emission tomography (PET), as well as nanoprobes for photoacoustic tomography (PAT), two-photon photoluminescence (TPL), and surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS). Their surfactant-free surface enables versatile functionalization to enhance cancer targeting, and allow triggered drug release. AuNS can also be used as an efficient platform for drug carrying, photothermal therapy, and photodynamic therapy (PDT). This review paper presents the latest progress regarding AuNS as a promising nanoplatform for cancer nanotheranostics. Future research directions with AuNS for biomedical applications will also be discussed.
Highlights
Nanotheranostics, combining diagnostic and therapeutic functions into one nanoparticle, has attracted great attention due to its promise as a powerful tool for personalized therapy to treat cancer, which contributes to more than seven million deaths each year (Ferlay et al, 2010; Jemal et al, 2010; Wang et al, 2014)
Nanoparticles of sizes ranging from 20 to 100 nm accumulate in tumors through the well-known enhanced permeability and retention (EPR) effect that originates from the leaky tumor vasculature (Maeda, 2001; Maeda et al, 2001, 2003; Sykes et al, 2014)
These findings suggest that enhanced tumor blood brain barrier (BBB) permeation with selected intratumoral delivery can be achieved with proper control of AuNS sizes and selection of surface ligand chemistry
Summary
Yang Liu 1, 2, 3, Hsiangkuo Yuan 1, 2, Andrew M. Plasmonics-active gold nanoparticles offer excellent potential in molecular imaging and cancer therapy. Gold nanostars (AuNS) exhibit cross-platform flexibility as multimodal contrast agents for macroscopic X-ray computer tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), positron emission tomography (PET), as well as nanoprobes for photoacoustic tomography (PAT), two-photon photoluminescence (TPL), and surfaceenhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS). Their surfactant-free surface enables versatile functionalization to enhance cancer targeting, and allow triggered drug release. AuNS can be used as an efficient platform for drug carrying, photothermal therapy, and photodynamic therapy (PDT). AuNS as a promising nanoplatform for cancer nanotheranostics.
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