Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is an emerging technique for the treatment of cancerous and non-cancerous conditions. Gold nanoparticles (GNPs) possess unique physical and chemical properties which allow them to act as multifunctional agents in nanomedicine. GNP- photosensitizer conjugates have attracted increasing attention in drug delivery for photodynamic cancer therapy. In the present investigation, we prepared covalent conjugates of the photosensitizer Toluidine Blue O (TBO) and thiol protected GNPs. The suitability of TBO- GNPs conjugates for in vitro PDT was assayed using the SW480 Human colon adenocarcinoma cell line. Our results suggest that gold nanoparticle conjugates are an excellent vehicle for delivery of photosensitizer agents in the photodynamic therapy of cultured tumour cells.

Date Published: 8 May 2012
PDF: 6 pages
Proc. SPIE 8427, Biophotonics: Photonic Solutions for Better Health Care III, 842722 (8 May 2012); doi: 10.1117/12.921813

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 8427:
Biophotonics: Photonic Solutions for Better Health Care III
Jürgen Popp; Wolfgang Drexler; Valery V. Tuchin; Dennis L. Matthews, Editor(s)