Gold nanoparticle surface functionalization: a necessary requirement in the development of novel nanotherapeutics

• Published in: Nanomedicine (London, England) Vol. 10; no. 8; pp. 1315 - 1326
• Main Authors: Nicol, James R, Dixon, Dorian, Coulter, Jonathan A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Future Medicine Ltd 01.04.2015
• Subjects: Analysis; Animals; bottom-up synthesis; Cancer; Care and treatment; Diagnostic Imaging - methods; Drug Delivery Systems - methods; gold; Gold - chemistry; Gold - pharmacokinetics; Gold - therapeutic use; Gold - toxicity; Humans; Life expectancy; Metal Nanoparticles - chemistry; Metal Nanoparticles - therapeutic use; Metal Nanoparticles - toxicity; Metal Nanoparticles - ultrastructure; Nanomedicine; Nanomedicine - methods; nanoparticle; nanoparticle functionalization; nanoparticle stability; Nanotechnology - methods; Neoplasms - therapy; organelle targeting; Risk factors; Therapeutics; gold; nanoparticle; nanoparticle functionalization; organelle targeting; bottom–up synthesis; nanoparticle stability
• ISSN: 1743-5889; 1748-6963; 1748-6963
• DOI: 10.2217/nnm.14.219

With several gold nanoparticle-based therapies currently undergoing clinical trials, these treatments may soon be in the clinic as novel anticancer agents. Gold nanoparticles are the subject of a wide ranging international research effort with preclinical studies underway for multiple applications including photoablation, diagnostic imaging, radiosensitization and multifunctional drug-delivery vehicles. These applications require an increasingly complex level of surface modification in order to achieve efficacy and limit off-target toxicity. This review will discuss the main obstacles in relation to surface functionalization and the chemical approaches commonly utilized. Finally, we review a range of recent preclinical studies that aim to advance gold nanoparticle treatments toward the clinic.