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Capping gold nanoparticles with albumin to improve their biomedical properties
Authors Bolaños K, Kogan MJ, Araya E
Received 9 April 2019
Accepted for publication 18 June 2019
Published 9 August 2019 Volume 2019:14 Pages 6387—6406
DOI https://doi.org/10.2147/IJN.S210992
Checked for plagiarism Yes
Review by Single-blind
Peer reviewers approved by Dr Melinda Thomas
Peer reviewer comments 3
Editor who approved publication: Prof. Dr. Anderson Oliveira Lobo
Karen Bolaños,1–3 Marcelo J Kogan,2,3 Eyleen Araya1,2
1Departamento de Ciencias Quimicas, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Universidad Andres Bello, Santiago, Chile; 2Departamento de Quimica Farmacologica y Toxicologica, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas y Farmacéuticas, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile; 3Advanced Center of Chronic Diseases, Santiago, Chile
Abstract: Nanotechnology is an emerging field which has created great opportunities either through the creation of new materials or by improving the properties of existing ones. Nanoscale materials with a wide range of applications in areas ranging from engineering to biomedicine have been produced. Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) have emerged as a therapeutic agent, and are useful for imaging, drug delivery, and photodynamic and photothermal therapy. AuNPs have the advantage of ease of functionalization with therapeutic agents through covalent and ionic binding. Combining AuNPs and other materials can result in nanoplatforms, which can be useful for biomedical applications. Biomaterials such as biomolecules, polymers and proteins can improve the therapeutic properties of nanoparticles, such as their biocompatibility, biodistribution, stability and half-life. Serum albumin is a versatile, non-toxic, stable, and biodegradable protein, in which structural domains and functional groups allow the binding and capping of inorganic nanoparticles. AuNPs coated with albumin have improved properties such as greater compatibility, bioavailability, longer circulation times, lower toxicity, and selective bioaccumulation. In the current article, we review the features of albumin, as well as its interaction with AuNPs, focusing on its biomedical applications.
Keywords: albumin, drug delivery, photothermal therapy, theranostics
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