title: Enhanced imaging and accelerated photothermalysis of A549 human lung cancer cells by gold nanospheres.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Gold nanoparticles are excellent photon-thermal energy converters. The purpose of this work was to investigate the influence of gold nanoparticles on the photothermalysis of A549 lung tumor cells.
  
  
  METHODS
  A549 lung tumor cells were exposed to goat antihuman immunoglobulin (Ig)G-conjugated gold nanospheres (40 nm) and were then imaged under a dark-field microscope. The live cells were then subjected to photoirradiation using a 633-nm laser at different power levels. The viability of tumor cells under laser irradiation was monitored by confocal microscopy using a viability-assay kit.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The death rates of A549 lung tumor cells after gold nanoparticle exposure increased significantly under laser irradiation. The maximum initial cell death rate was observed at a laser power level of 3.75 mW, with the initial deactivation rate accelerated by a factor of 6.6 and a total loss of 92% of cell viability.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This work demonstrated potential applications of gold nanospheres as both imaging probes and enhancing agents for photothermal therapy of cancer.
authors.affiliation: Nanoscience Technology Center, Department of Chemistry, University of Central Florida, 12424 Research Parkway, Orlando, FL 32826, USA.
authors.forename: Xiong
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Mark C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Lloyd
authors.forename: Inna V
authors.initials: IV
authors.lastname: Fedorenko
authors.forename: Priya
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bapat
authors.forename: Tatyana
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Zhukov
authors.forename: Qun
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Huo
mesh_terms: D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002470:Cell Survival; D006046:Gold / Q000737:chemistry*; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000737:chemistry; D007834:Lasers; D008027:Light; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy*; D053768:Metal Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry*; D054118:Nanospheres / Q000737:chemistry; D049329:Nanostructures / Q000737:chemistry; D010789:Phototherapy / Q000379:methods; D013056:Spectrophotometry, Ultraviolet / Q000379:methods; D013059:Spectrum Analysis, Raman / Q000379:methods; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays
chemical_list: D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D006046:Gold