title: Biological mechanisms of gold nanoparticle radiosensitization.
abstract: There has been growing interest in the use of nanomaterials for a range of biomedical applications over the last number of years. In particular, gold nanoparticles (GNPs) possess a number of unique properties that make them ideal candidates as radiosensitizers on the basis of their strong photoelectric absorption coefficient and ease of synthesis. However, despite promising preclinical evidence in vitro supported by a limited amount of in vivo experiments, along with advances in mechanistic understanding, GNPs have not yet translated into the clinic. This may be due to disparity between predicted levels of radiosensitization based on physical action, observed biological response and an incomplete mechanistic understanding, alongside current experimental limitations. This paper provides a review of the current state of the field, highlighting the potential underlying biological mechanisms in GNP radiosensitization and examining the barriers to clinical translation.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Cancer Research and Cell Biology, Queens University Belfast, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast, BT9 7AE Northern Ireland, UK.
authors.forename: Soraia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rosa
authors.affiliation: Centre for Cancer Research and Cell Biology, Queens University Belfast, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast, BT9 7AE Northern Ireland, UK.|National Physical Laboratory, Teddington, London, TW11 0LW UK.
authors.forename: Chris
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Connolly
authors.affiliation: National Physical Laboratory, Teddington, London, TW11 0LW UK.
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Schettino
authors.affiliation: Centre for Cancer Research and Cell Biology, Queens University Belfast, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast, BT9 7AE Northern Ireland, UK.
authors.forename: Karl T
authors.initials: KT
authors.lastname: Butterworth
authors.affiliation: Centre for Cancer Research and Cell Biology, Queens University Belfast, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast, BT9 7AE Northern Ireland, UK.
authors.forename: Kevin M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Prise
keywords: Cancer therapy; Gold nanoparticle; Radiation therapy; Radiosensitization