title: Synthesis of novel galactose functionalized gold nanoparticles and its radiosensitizing mechanism.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Biocompatible gold nanoparticles (GNPs) are potentially practical and efficient agents in cancer radiotherapy applications. In this study, we demonstrated that GNPs can significantly modulate irradiation response of hepatocellular carcinoma cells in vitro and investigated the underlying mechanisms. We co-grafted galactose (GAL) targeting hepatocyte specific asialoglycoprotein receptor and Polyethylene Glycol (PEG) onto GNPs surfaces to increase GNPs targeting specificity and stability.
  
  
  RESULTS
  This novel GAL-PEG-GNPs and bare GNPs show similar appearance and cytotoxicity profiles, while more GAL-PEG-GNPs can be effectively uptaken and could enhance cancer cell killing.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  GAL-PEG-GNPs have better radiosensitization to HepG2. The sensitization mechanism of GAL-PEG-GNPs is related to the apoptotic gene process activated by generation of a large amount of free radicals induced by GNPs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Geriatrics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, 210019, Nanjing, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China. zswx2002@163.com.|Department of Oncology, The Second Hospital Affiliated of Southeast University, 210003, Nanjing, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China. zswx2002@163.com.
authors.forename: Chuan-Dong
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology, The Second Hospital Affiliated of Southeast University, 210003, Nanjing, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China. njzq83626472@sina.com.
authors.forename: Qin
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology, The Second Hospital Affiliated of Southeast University, 210003, Nanjing, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China. wswlx@aliyun.com.
authors.forename: Li-Xue
authors.initials: LX
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology, The Second Hospital Affiliated of Southeast University, 210003, Nanjing, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China. xuhanfeng1820@qq.com.
authors.forename: Han-Feng
authors.initials: HF
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology, The Second Hospital Affiliated of Southeast University, 210003, Nanjing, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China. tjl2004@sina.com.
authors.forename: Jin-Long
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Tong
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology, The Second Hospital Affiliated of Southeast University, 210003, Nanjing, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China. 13905152166@139.com.
authors.forename: Quan-An
authors.initials: QA
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology, The Second Hospital Affiliated of Southeast University, 210003, Nanjing, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China. wan@ipermed.com.|PMR Institute, 201203, Shanghai, People's Republic of China. wan@ipermed.com.|PerMed Biomedical Co. Ltd., 575 Bibo Road, 201203, Shanghai, People's Republic of China. wan@ipermed.com.
authors.forename: Yuan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wan
authors.affiliation: Department of Geriatrics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, 210019, Nanjing, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China. jwuny@njmu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Jian-Qing
authors.initials: JQ
authors.lastname: Wu
mesh_terms: D037263:Asialoglycoprotein Receptor / Q000378:metabolism*; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000378:metabolism / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems; D005690:Galactose / Q000378:metabolism / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006046:Gold / Q000378:metabolism / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D056945:Hep G2 Cells; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D053768:Metal Nanoparticles / Q000627:therapeutic use* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000528:radiation effects; D010316:Particle Size; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000378:metabolism / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D037263:Asialoglycoprotein Receptor; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D006046:Gold; D005690:Galactose