title: In vitro assessment of antibody-conjugated gold nanorods for systemic injections.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The interest for gold nanorods in biomedical optics is driven by their intense absorbance of near infrared light, their biocompatibility and their potential to reach tumors after systemic administration. Examples of applications include the photoacoustic imaging and the photothermal ablation of cancer. In spite of great current efforts, the selective delivery of gold nanorods to tumors through the bloodstream remains a formidable challenge. Their bio-conjugation with targeting units, and in particular with antibodies, is perceived as a hopeful solution, but the complexity of living organisms complicates the identification of possible obstacles along the way to tumors.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Here, we present a new model of gold nanorods conjugated with anti-cancer antigen 125 (CA125) antibodies, which exhibit high specificity for ovarian cancer cells. We implement a battery of tests in vitro, in order to simulate major nuisances and predict the feasibility of these particles for intravenous injections. We show that parameters like the competition of free CA125 in the bloodstream, which could saturate the probe before arriving at the tumors, the matrix effect and the interference with erythrocytes and phagocytes are uncritical.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although some deterioration is detectable, anti-CA125-conjugated gold nanorods retain their functional features after interaction with blood tissue and so represent a powerful candidate to hit ovarian cancer cells.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche Sperimentali e Cliniche 'Mario Serio', Università degli Studi di Firenze, Viale Pieraccini 6, 50139, Firenze, Italy. sonia.centi@unifi.it.
authors.forename: Sonia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Centi
authors.affiliation: Istituto di Fisica Applicata 'Nello Carrara', Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Via Madonna del Piano 10, 50019, Sesto Fiorentino, Italy. f.tatini@ifac.cnr.it.
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Tatini
authors.affiliation: Istituto di Fisica Applicata 'Nello Carrara', Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Via Madonna del Piano 10, 50019, Sesto Fiorentino, Italy. f.ratto@ifac.cnr.it.
authors.forename: Fulvio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ratto
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche Sperimentali e Cliniche 'Mario Serio', Università degli Studi di Firenze, Viale Pieraccini 6, 50139, Firenze, Italy. alessio.gnerucci@unifi.it.
authors.forename: Alessio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gnerucci
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Chimica 'Ugo Shiff', Università degli Studi di Firenze, Via della Lastruccia 3, 50019, Sesto Fiorentino, Italy. raffaella.mercatelli@unifi.it.
authors.forename: Raffaella
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mercatelli
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche Sperimentali e Cliniche 'Mario Serio', Università degli Studi di Firenze, Viale Pieraccini 6, 50139, Firenze, Italy. giovanni.romano@unifi.it.
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Romano
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze della Salute, Università degli Studi di Firenze, Viale Pieraccini 6, 50139, Firenze, Italy. ida.landini@unifi.it.
authors.forename: Ida
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Landini
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze della Salute, Università degli Studi di Firenze, Viale Pieraccini 6, 50139, Firenze, Italy. stefania.nobili@unifi.it.
authors.forename: Stefania
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nobili
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Chimica 'Ugo Shiff', Università degli Studi di Firenze, Via della Lastruccia 3, 50019, Sesto Fiorentino, Italy. andrea.ravalli@unifi.it.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ravalli
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Chimica 'Ugo Shiff', Università degli Studi di Firenze, Via della Lastruccia 3, 50019, Sesto Fiorentino, Italy. giovanna.marrazza@unifi.it.
authors.forename: Giovanna
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Marrazza
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Medicina Sperimentale e Clinica, Università degli Studi di Firenze, Largo Brambilla 3, 50134, Firenze, Italy. enrico.mini@unifi.it.
authors.forename: Enrico
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mini
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche Sperimentali e Cliniche 'Mario Serio', Università degli Studi di Firenze, Viale Pieraccini 6, 50139, Firenze, Italy. franco.fusi@unifi.it.
authors.forename: Franco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Fusi
authors.affiliation: Istituto di Fisica Applicata 'Nello Carrara', Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Via Madonna del Piano 10, 50019, Sesto Fiorentino, Italy. r.pini@ifac.cnr.it.
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pini
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000906:Antibodies / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000737:chemistry; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D018394:CA-125 Antigen / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D000077286:Cetrimonium; D002593:Cetrimonium Compounds / Q000737:chemistry; D004353:Drug Evaluation, Preclinical / Q000379:methods; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D006046:Gold / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000737:chemistry; D006801:Humans; D015151:Immunoblotting; D007275:Injections, Intravenous; D008264:Macrophages / Q000187:drug effects; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology*; D051379:Mice; D043942:Nanotubes / Q000737:chemistry*; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D000906:Antibodies; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D018394:CA-125 Antigen; D002593:Cetrimonium Compounds; C451759:MUC16 protein, human; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D006046:Gold; D000077286:Cetrimonium