title: Surface plasmon resonance-induced photoactivation of gold nanoparticles as mitochondria-targeted therapeutic agents for pancreatic cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Noble metal nanoparticles such as gold nanoparticles can strongly absorb light in the visible region by inducing coherent collective oscillation of conduction band electrons in strong resonance with visible frequencies of light. This phenomenon is frequently termed as surface plasmon resonance (SPR).
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The main objective was to study the effects of laser photoactivated gold nanoparticles (by means of SPR) on human pancreatic cancer cells.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Gold nanoparticles obtained using standard wet chemical methods (with sodium borohydride as a reducing agent) underwent photoexcitation using 2w 808 nm laser and further administered to 1.4E7 pancreatic cancer cell lines. Flow cytometry, transmission electron microscopy, phase contrast microscopy, quantitative proteomics and confocal microscopy combined with immunochemical staining were used to examine the interaction between photo excited gold nanoparticles and pancreatic cancer cells.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The study shows that phonon-phonon interactions following laser photoexcitation of gold nanoparticles exhibit increased intracellular uptake, as well as mitochondrial swelling, closely followed by mitochondrial inner membrane permeabilization and depolarization. This unique data may represent a major step in mitochondria-targeted anticancer therapies using laser-activated gold nanoparticles.
authors.affiliation: "Iuliu Hatieganu" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Regional Institute of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Nanomedicine , Croitorilor Street, Cluj-Napoca , Romania , +40264-439696 ; +40264-439696 ; cornel.iancu@umfcluj.ro.
authors.forename: Lucian
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Mocan
authors.forename: Ioana
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Ilie
authors.forename: Flaviu A
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Tabaran
authors.forename: Bartos
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Dana
authors.forename: Florin
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Zaharie
authors.forename: Claudiu
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zdrehus
authors.forename: Cosmin
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Puia
authors.forename: Teodora
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Mocan
authors.forename: Valentin
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Muntean
authors.forename: Pop
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Teodora
authors.forename: Mosteanu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ofelia
authors.forename: Tantau
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Marcel
authors.forename: Cornel
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Iancu
mesh_terms: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000528:radiation effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D006046:Gold / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000528:radiation effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D007834:Lasers; D053078:Membrane Potential, Mitochondrial / Q000187:drug effects; D053768:Metal Nanoparticles / Q000528:radiation effects / Q000627:therapeutic use* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D020349:Surface Plasmon Resonance
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D006046:Gold