Radioactive gold nanoparticles in cancer therapy: therapeutic efficacy studies of GA-198AuNP nanoconstruct in prostate tumor-bearing mice

Biocompatibility studies and cancer therapeutic applications of nanoparticulate ß-emitting gold-198 ( 198 Au; ßmax = 0.96 MeV; half-life of 2.7 days) are described. Gum arabic glycoprotein (GA)¿functionalized gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) possess optimum sizes (12¿18 nm core diameter and 85 nm hydrodynamic diameter) to target individual tumor cells and penetrate through tumor vasculature and pores. We report the results of detailed in vivo therapeutic investigations demonstrating the high tumor affinity of GA- 198 AuNPs in severely compromised immunodeficient (SCID) mice bearing human prostate tumor xenografts.