Issue 39, 2020

Advances in biomedical and pharmaceutical applications of protein-stabilized gold nanoclusters

Abstract

The interest in using gold nanoclusters (AuNCs) as imaging probes is growing, covering wide ranges of applications. The stabilization of AuNCs with protein ligands enhances their biomedical and pharmaceutical applications. This is due to the biocompatibility, water solubility and bioactivity of proteins. Different factors can control the optical properties of AuNCs such as protein size, amino acids content and conformational structure. Controlling the synthesis conditions can result in tuning the AuNCs excitation, emission, fluorescence intensity and physicochemical properties to fulfill different applications. NIR-emitting protein-stabilized AuNCs are promising as imaging agents for targeting and visualization of cancer in vitro and in vivo. They are promising to be included as an important part of multifunctional theranostic nanosystems, due to their potential dual functions as imaging and photosensitizing agent for photodynamic therapy. Additionally, the protein around AuNCs represents a rich environment of active functional groups that are susceptible for conjugation with various biomolecules. Protein–AuNCs can act as fluorescent probes for rapid and selective analysis of different analytes in solution, cells or biological fluids. In conclusion, the variability of protein–AuNC applications can advance research in different biomedical and pharmaceutical fields.

Graphical abstract: Advances in biomedical and pharmaceutical applications of protein-stabilized gold nanoclusters

Article information

Article type
Review Article
Submitted
29 jun 2020
Accepted
24 aug 2020
First published
25 aug 2020

J. Mater. Chem. B, 2020,8, 8952-8971

Advances in biomedical and pharmaceutical applications of protein-stabilized gold nanoclusters

N. El-Sayed and M. Schneider, J. Mater. Chem. B, 2020, 8, 8952 DOI: 10.1039/D0TB01610A

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