Development of cancer receptor-specific gold nanoparticles will allow efficient targeting/optimum retention of engineered gold nanoparticles within tumors and thus provide synergistic advantages in oncology as it relates to molecular imaging and therapy. Bombesin (BBN) peptides have demonstrated high affinity toward gastrin-releasing peptide (GRP) receptors in vivo that are overexpressed in prostate, breast, and small-cell lung carcinoma. We have synthesized a library of GRP receptor-avid nanoplatforms by conjugating gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) with BBN peptides. Cellular interactions and binding affinities (IC 50 ) of AuNP-BBN conjugates toward GRP receptors on human prostate cancer cells have been investigated in detail. In vivo studies using AuNP-BBN and its radiolabeled surrogate 198 AuNP-BBN, exhibiting high binding affinity (IC 50 in microgram ranges), provide unequivocal evidence that AuNP-BBN constructs are GRP-receptor-specific showing accumulation with high selectivity in GRP-receptor-rich pancreatic acne in normal mice and also in tumors in prostate-tumor-bearing, severe combined immunodeficient mice. The i.p. mode of delivery has been found to be efficient as AuNP-BBN conjugates showed reduced RES organ uptake with concomitant increase in uptake at tumor targets. The selective uptake of this new generation of GRP-receptor-specific AuNP-BBN peptide analogs has demonstrated realistic clinical potential in molecular imaging via x-ray computed tomography techniques as the contrast numbers in prostate tumor sites are severalfold higher as compared to the pretreatment group (Hounsfield unit = 150).gold nanoparticles | bombesin | gastrin-releasing peptide receptor | prostate cancer | computed tomography imaging

Systemic delivery of therapeutic agents to solid tumors is hindered by vascular and interstitial barriers. We hypothesized that prostate tumor specific epigallocatechin-gallate (EGCg) functionalized radioactive gold nanoparticles, when delivered intratumorally (IT), would circumvent transport barriers, resulting in targeted delivery of therapeutic payloads. The results described herein support our hypothesis. We report the development of inherently therapeutic gold nanoparticles derived from the Au-198 isotope; the range of the 198 Au β-particle (approximately 11 mm in tissue or approximately 1100 cell diameters) is sufficiently long to provide cross-fire effects of a radiation dose delivered to cells within the prostate gland and short enough to minimize the radiation dose to critical tissues near the periphery of the capsule. The formulation of biocompatible 198 AuNPs utilizes the redox chemistry of prostate tumor specific phytochemical EGCg as it converts gold salt into gold nanoparticles and also selectively binds with excellent affinity to Laminin67R receptors, which are over expressed in prostate tumor cells. Pharmacokinetic studies in PC-3 xenograft SCID mice showed approximately 72% retention of 198 AuNP-EGCg in tumors 24 h after intratumoral administration. Therapeutic studies showed 80% reduction of tumor volumes after 28 d demonstrating significant inhibition of tumor growth compared to controls. This innovative nanotechnological approach serves as a basis for designing biocompatible target specific antineoplastic agents. This novel intratumorally injectable 198 AuNP-EGCg nanotherapeutic agent may provide significant advances in oncology for use as an effective treatment for prostate and other solid tumors.nanoradiotherapy | tumor metastases | localized therapy | polyphenols | cellular targeting R ecent data have confirmed that the incidence of prostate cancer is the highest among all estimated new cancer cases in American males, nearly double that of lung cancer (1). Globally, prostate cancer continues to be the second leading cause of cancer-related death in men (1). A detailed study involving 77,000 North Americans has shown that 10 y of regular prostate specific antigen (PSA) screening did not save a significant number of lives (2). Therefore, developments of new therapeutic protocols that provide effective control of the growth and propagation of prostate tumors have gained considerable clinical significance in the care and treatment of prostate cancer patients (3). The latest clinical trials on human prostate cancer patients using various experimental drugs further attest that shrinking prostate tumor sizes led to more than doubled survival in 70-80% of patients with aggressive cancers (3). Although a plethora of therapeutic approaches, which include utility of cytotoxic drugs (paclitaxel, estramustine, carboplatin, and doxorubicin) are currently in clinical practice, unfortunately, none of these chemotherapeutic agents offer a clinically efficient, affordable, and toxicologically safe regimen...

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