title: Targetable gold nanorods for epithelial cancer therapy guided by near-IR absorption imaging.
abstract: Well-designed nanoparticle-mediated, image-guided cancer therapy has attracted interest for increasing the efficacy of cancer treatment. A new class of smart theragnostic nanoprobes employing cetuximab (CET)-conjugated polyethylene glycol (PEG)ylated gold nanorods (CET-PGNRs) is presented; these nanoprobes target epithelial cancer cells using near-infrared light. The cetyltrimethylammonium bromide bilayer on GNRs is replaced with heterobifunctional PEG (COOH-PEG-SH) to serve as a biocompatible stabilizer and to increase specificity. The carboxylated GNRs are further functionalized with CET using 1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl) carbodiimide/N-hydroxysuccinimide (EDC-NHS) chemistry. To assess the potential of such GNRs, their optical properties, biocompatibility, colloidal stability, in vitro/in vivo binding affinities for cancer cells, absorption imaging, and photothermal therapy effects are investigated. CET-PGNRs exhibit excellent tumor targeting ability and strong potential for simultaneous absorption imaging and photothermal ablation of epithelial cancer cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical and Bimolecular Engineering, Yonsei University, Seoul 120-749, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Jihye
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Jaemoon
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Doyeon
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bang
authors.forename: Joseph
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Jin-Suck
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Suh
authors.forename: Yong-Min
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Huh
authors.forename: Seungjoo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Haam
mesh_terms: D000042:Absorption; D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000737:chemistry / Q000627:therapeutic use; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D000068818:Cetuximab; D006046:Gold; D006801:Humans; D006979:Hyperthermia, Induced / Q000379:methods*; D007259:Infrared Rays; D053768:Metal Nanoparticles / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000737:chemistry*; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008819:Mice, Nude; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D043942:Nanotubes; D010789:Phototherapy / Q000379:methods*; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D006046:Gold; D000068818:Cetuximab