Biomolecule-protected gold nanoclusters: synthesis and biomedical applications

Abstract

Gold nanoclusters (AuNCs) consist of a few to several hundred gold atoms with a core size of less than 2 nm. Gold nanoclusters are among the most stable metal nanoclusters...

The roles of templates consisting of amino acids in the synthesis and application of gold nanoclusters

“…The introduction of a suitable scaffold is necessary for stabilizing AuNCs, such as polymer, thiols, amines, DNA, proteins, and peptides. 5,12–19 The rational selection of the scaffold can regulate sizes, optical properties and stability to obtain a variety of AuNCs. 20,21 Proteins and peptides are composed of amino acid monomers connected by amide bonds.…”

“…5,12,13 The synthesis and biomedical applications of AuNCs stabilized by biomolecules (proteins, peptides, DNA and polysaccharides) have also been presented. 17 For AuNCs stabilized by proteins, the synthesis, structural analysis, and biological applications of BSA–AuNCs have been reviewed. 31 For AuNCs stabilized by peptides, Gao's group has summarized a general one-step synthetic strategy for peptide-directed AuNCs (P–AuNCs), and their application in biological imaging in subcellular organelles, quantification of membrane protein expression on a single-cell level, and anti-cancer activity.…”

Enhancing Liver Delivery of Gold Nanoclusters via Human Serum Albumin Encapsulation for Autoimmune Hepatitis Alleviation

“…Compared to traditional drugs, nanomedicines have exhibited several advantages, such as a reduction in adverse events, enhanced capabilities for targeted delivery, and improved biosafety [ 16 ]. Gold nanoclusters (AuNCs) protected by peptides or proteins have shown great potential for therapeutic applications and have become an attractive frontier in nanomedicine due to their supernormal physicochemical and biomedical properties, such as ultrasmall size, atomically precise composition, strong luminescence, tailorable surface chemistry, water-soluble, excellent biocompatibility and intrinsic pharmaceutical activities [ 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 ]. Especially in recent years, the immunoregulatory activity of AuNCs was revealed in tumor immunotherapy and autoimmune disease therapy, including rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, and inflammatory bowel disease [ 21 , 22 , 23 , 24 ].…”

Gold Nanoclusters as High Resolution NIR-II Theranostic Agents

“…9,10 Due to the size regime of Au NC, metallic behavior of Au and surface plasmon resonance (SPR) bands disappear in these nanoclusters and they start to exhibit size-dependent luminescence, discrete energy levels, and intrinsic magnetic properties. 11 Au NCs have been widely studied in biology, catalysis, and nanotechnology due to their excellent biocompatibility, mild preparation conditions, tuna-ble optical properties, large Stokes shift, high photo stability, molecule-like HOMO−LUMO gap, fluorescence tunability, and renal clearance. 12−15 Au NCs have shown potential applications in biomedical and bioanalytical fields.…”