Towards potent but less toxic nanopharmaceuticals - lipoic acid bioconjugates of ultrasmall gold nanoparticles with an anticancer drug and addressing unit.

ABSTRACT: Modification of ultrasmall gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) with the lipoic acid derivative of folic acid was found to enhance their accumulation in the cancer cell, as compared to AuNPs without addressing units. The application of lipoic acid enabled the control of the gold nanoparticle functionalities leading to enhanced solubility and allowing for attachment of both the folic acid and the cytotoxic drug, doxorubicin. More robust attachment of doxorubicin to the nanoparticle through the amide bond resulted in toxicity comparable with that of the drug alone, opening a new perspective for designing more potent, but less toxic nanopharmaceuticals. The increased uptake was accompanied by pronounced nuclear accumulation and observable cytotoxicity. Doxorubicin binding via covalent amide bond

SUBMITTER: Dzwonek M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9079921 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature