Multifunctional Gold Nanoparticles for Improved Diagnostic and Therapeutic Applications: A Review
Authors
Nicole Sibuyi
Department of Science and Innovation (DSI)/Mintek Nanotechnology Innovation Centre (NIC) Biolabels Node, Department of Biotechnology, University of the Western Cape, Private Bag X17, Bellville, 7535 South Africa
Koena Moabelo
Department of Science and Innovation (DSI)/Mintek Nanotechnology Innovation Centre (NIC) Biolabels Node, Department of Biotechnology, University of the Western Cape, Private Bag X17, Bellville, 7535 South Africa
Adewale Fadaka
Department of Science and Innovation (DSI)/Mintek Nanotechnology Innovation Centre (NIC) Biolabels Node, Department of Biotechnology, University of the Western Cape, Private Bag X17, Bellville, 7535 South Africa
Samantha Meyer
Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health and Wellness Sciences, Cape Peninsula University of Technology, Bellville, South Africa
Martin Onani
Organometallics and Nanomaterials, Department of Chemical Sciences, University of the Western Cape, Bellville, South Africa
Abram Madiehe
Department of Science and Innovation (DSI)/Mintek Nanotechnology Innovation Centre (NIC) Biolabels Node, Department of Biotechnology, University of the Western Cape, Private Bag X17, Bellville, 7535 South Africa
Mervin Meyer
Department of Science and Innovation (DSI)/Mintek Nanotechnology Innovation Centre (NIC) Biolabels Node, Department of Biotechnology, University of the Western Cape, Private Bag X17, Bellville, 7535 South Africa
Keywords:
Bio-functionalization, Drug delivery, Drug targeting, Gold nanoparticles, Metal-based therapy, Multimodal systems
Abstract
The medical properties of metals have been explored for centuries in traditional medicine for the treatment of infections and diseases and still practiced to date. Platinum-based drugs are the first class of metal-based drugs to be clinically used as anticancer agents following the approval of cisplatin by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) over 40 years ago. Since then, more metals with health benefits have been approved for clinical trials. Interestingly, when these metals are reduced to metallic nanoparticles, they displayed unique and novel properties that were superior to their bulk counterparts. Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) are among the FDA-approved metallic nanoparticles and have shown great promise in a variety of roles in medicine. They were used as drug delivery, photothermal (PT), contrast, therapeutic, radiosensitizing, and gene transfection agents. Their biomedical applications are reviewed herein, covering their potential use in disease diagnosis and therapy. Some of the AuNP-based systems that are approved for clinical trials are also discussed, as well as the potential health threats of AuNPs and some strategies that can be used to improve their biocompatibility. The reviewed studies offer proof of principle that AuNP-based systems could potentially be used alone or in combination with the conventional systems to improve their efficacy.
Keywords: Bio-functionalization, Drug delivery, Drug targeting, Gold nanoparticles, Metal-based therapy, Multimodal systems
Author Biographies
Koena Moabelo, Department of Science and Innovation (DSI)/Mintek Nanotechnology Innovation Centre (NIC) Biolabels Node, Department of Biotechnology, University of the Western Cape, Private Bag X17, Bellville, 7535 South Africa
Nanobiotechnology Research Group, Department of Biotechnology, University of the Western Cape, Bellville, South Africa
Abram Madiehe, Department of Science and Innovation (DSI)/Mintek Nanotechnology Innovation Centre (NIC) Biolabels Node, Department of Biotechnology, University of the Western Cape, Private Bag X17, Bellville, 7535 South Africa
Nanobiotechnology Research Group, Department of Biotechnology, University of the Western Cape, Bellville, South Africa
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