Gold nanoparticles create hope for treatment of cervical cancer

(Nanowerk News) Researchers from Ferdowsi University of Mashhad in association with their colleagues from Mashhad University of Medical Sciences used gold nanoparticles as perfect carrier to deliver the hydrophobic protoporphyrin molecule to cancerous cells ("Protoporphyrin IX–gold nanoparticle conjugates as an efficient photosensitizer in cervical cancer therapy").
In this research, results showed that the coupled nanoparticles can be considered effective candidate in the treatment of cancer in general, and as a sample in the treatment of cervical cancer.
Gold nanoparticles were designed and synthesized in the present study, and their application was studied in the treatment of cancer. The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of photodynamic therapy in the presence of gold nanoparticles coupled with protoporiphyin on the life of cervical cancer cells.
Results of the research showed that the synthesized coupled gold nanoparticles can be used as a very effective carrier to take photosensitizer into the cells to treat cervical cancer cells. In addition, results obtained from verification test showed that the synthesized coupled nanoparticles are a very effective parameter in photodynamic treatment of cervical cancer cells.
Morphologic images of the cells depict that cellular death has happened in a large number of the cancerous cells. The cores of the majority of the cells were divided into some individual colorful parts. Moreover, the thickness of the color in the core was stronger than the color in the living cells, which proved that apoptosis has happened.
Gold nanoparticles coupled with porphyrin photosensitizers can be widely used in medical industry in the treatment of diseases due to their curing specifications and importance.
Source: INIC