Nanocomposite Materials Based on Polylactide and Gold Complex Compounds for Absorbed Dose Diagnostics in BNCT

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Nanotechnology
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) requires accurate absorbed dose measurement.
• Gold-based compounds offer potential for enhanced radiation detection.
• Developing safe and effective nanomaterials for medical applications is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize gold-cysteine [AuCys]n complexes for BNCT absorbed dose measurement.
• To develop polylactide-based nanocomposite materials incorporating [AuCys]n.
• To characterize the properties and in vitro safety of the developed nanocomposites.

Main Methods:

• Synthesis of gold-cysteine [AuCys]n complexes.
• Particle size determination dependent on pH.
• Fabrication of polylactide nanocomposites using a crazing mechanism.
• Electron microscopy for structural analysis.
• In vitro release kinetics studies.
• Cell viability assays (U251 and SW-620 cells).

Main Results:

• Established pH-dependent particle size control for [AuCys]n.
• Successfully created polylactide nanocomposites with ~20 nm [AuCys]n particles.
• Observed delayed release of [AuCys]n from the polymer matrix, starting after 24h with an effective rate of 1 μg/h.
• Demonstrated in vitro safety at concentrations up to 6.25 μg/mL, with no reduction in cancer cell survival.

Conclusions:

• Developed a novel approach for synthesizing [AuCys]n nanocomposites for BNCT dosimetry.
• The polylactide-based nanocomposites exhibit controlled release properties and excellent biocompatibility.
• These findings support the potential of [AuCys]n nanocomposites as safe and effective agents for BNCT applications.