Alginate mediated functional aggregation of gold nanoclusters for systemic photothermal therapy and efficient renal
Pin Zhao1, Shuwei Liu2, Lu Wang3
1State Key Laboratory of Bio-Fibers and Eco-Textiles, Shandong Collaborative Innovation Center of Marine Biobased Fibers and Ecological Textiles, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Institute of Marine Biobased Materials, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266071, PR China.
Abstract:
For renal clearable nanoagents, it is challenging to delay the renal clearance to acquire efficient tumor accumulation. Herein, we report sodium alginate (SA) stabilized gold (Au) NCs. The Au NCs are of high biocompatibility and renal clearable. Contributed from the ligands of SA, the half-life (t1/2) of Au NCs is prolonged to ∼9.3 h, enhancing the tumor accumulation rate to 10.4 %ID/g. In tumor microenvironment (TME), the Au NCs are stimulated to functionally aggregate, which switches on the photothermal effect. Animal experiments prove that Au NCs aggregates are efficient photothermal therapy (PTT) agents for both local treatment of single tumors and systemic treatment of double-tumor models without causing noticeable side effects, confirming the biosecurity of Au NCs and systemic PTT. The switchable strategy of PTT may signify the establishment of a new systemic therapeutic methodology.
