Journal of the American Chemical Society · 2012 · 526 citations · 36 references
PharmacyOncologyPharmaceuticsBiophotonicsDrug DeliveryNanomaterialsCancer NanomedicineNanocarriers For TherapeuticsNanomedicineNanoparticle Delivery SystemsPhotothermal TherapyTheranostic NanoparticlesCancer NanotherapyCancer Photothermal TherapyCellular Uptake EfficiencyGold NanostructuresNanomaterials For Photothermal TherapyNanoparticle Cellular UptakePeptide-functionalized NanomaterialsPlasmonic Photothermal Therapy
Gold nanoparticles hold promise for plasmonic photothermal therapy, yet their intracellular delivery and photothermolysis efficiency remain suboptimal. TAT‑functionalized gold nanostars enter cells via actin‑driven, lipid‑raft–mediated macropinocytosis, accumulating in macropinosomes and occasionally leaking into the cytoplasm, and after 4‑h incubation on BT549 breast cancer cells, 850‑nm pulsed laser irradiation at 0.2 W/cm² achieved photothermolysis below skin exposure limits. TAT‑peptide‑functionalized gold nanostars deliver more efficiently into cells than bare or PEGylated counterparts and, under low‑irradiance 850‑nm pulsed laser, achieve efficient photothermolysis, indicating their promise for cancer therapy.
Gold nanoparticles have great potential in plasmonic photothermal therapy (photothermolysis), but their intracellular delivery and photothermolysis efficiency have yet to be optimized. We show that TAT-peptide-functionalized gold nanostars (NS) enter cells significantly more than bare or PEGylated NS. The cellular uptake mechanism involves actin-driven lipid raft-mediated macropinocytosis, where particles primarily accumulate in macropinosomes but may also leak out into the cytoplasm. After 4-h incubation of TAT-NS on BT549 breast cancer cells, photothermolysis was accomplished using 850 nm pulsed laser under 0.2 W/cm(2) irradiation, below the maximal permissible exposure of skin. These results demonstrate the enhanced intracellular delivery and efficient photothermolysis of TAT-NS, promising agents in cancer therapy.
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Martin Lundqvist, Johannes Stigler, Giuliano Elia et al. · Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences · 2008 · 3K citations · Full text