title: 5-aminolevulinic acid-conjugated gold nanoparticles for photodynamic therapy of cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Effective delivery of photosensitizer to target tumor cells that causes minimal damage to healthy cells is an important requirement in photodynamic therapy of cancer.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We aimed to use biocompatible gold nanoparticles as a vehicle to deliver 5-aminolevulinic (5-ALA) acid for selective and efficient photodynamic therapy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Protoporphyrin IX accumulated preferentially in fibrosarcoma tumor cells treated with 5-ALA-conjugated nanoparticles while yielding significantly higher reactive oxygen species compared with that with 5-ALA. The elevation of reactive oxygen species resulted in 50% more cytotoxicity to tumor cells than that of 5-ALA alone. Selective destruction of tumor cells was also achieved using 5-ALA-conjugated nanoparticles in co-culture with dermal fibroblasts.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  5-ALA-conjugated nanoparticles offer a new modality for selective and efficient destruction of tumor cells, with minimal damage to fibroblasts in the 5-ALA-photodynamic therapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical Engineering & Materials Science, Stevens Institute of Technology, Castle Point on Hudson, Hoboken, NJ 07030, USA.
authors.forename: Maung Kyaw Khaing
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Oo
authors.forename: Xiaochuan
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Henry
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Du
authors.forename: Hongjun
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000622:Aminolevulinic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D018920:Coculture Techniques / Q000379:methods; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000378:metabolism; D005354:Fibrosarcoma / Q000628:therapy; D006046:Gold / Q000737:chemistry*; D006801:Humans; D053768:Metal Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry*; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000628:therapy*; D010778:Photochemotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D017319:Photosensitizing Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D013056:Spectrophotometry, Ultraviolet / Q000379:methods; D055672:Static Electricity
chemical_list: D017319:Photosensitizing Agents; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D006046:Gold; D000622:Aminolevulinic Acid