Polypeptide-Based Gold Nanoshells for Photothermal Therapy.

ABSTRACT: Targeted killing of cancer cells by engineered nanoparticles holds great promise for noninvasive photothermal therapy applications. We present the design and generation of a novel class of gold nanoshells with cores composed of self-assembled block copolypeptide vesicles with photothermal properties. Specifically, poly(L-lysine)₆₀- block-poly(L-leucine)₂₀ (K₆₀L₂₀) block copolypeptide vesicles coated with a thin layer of gold demonstrate enhanced absorption of light due to surface plasmon resonance (SPR) in the near-infrared range. We show that the polypeptide-based K₆₀L₂₀ gold nanoshells have low toxicity in the absence of laser exposure, significant heat generation upon exposure to near-infrared light, and, as a result, loc

SUBMITTER: Mayle KM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6070380 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature