Biomimetic keratin gold nanoparticle-mediated in vitro photothermal therapy on glioblastoma multiforme

Aim: To realize and characterize a new generation of keratin-coated gold nanoparticles (Ker-AuNPs) as highly efficient photosensitive nanosized therapeutics for plasmonic photothermal (PPT) therapy. Materials & methods: The chemical, physical, morphological and photothermal properties of Ker-AuNPs are investigated using dynamic light scattering, ζ-potential, UV-Visible, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy and high-resolution thermography. In vitro experiments are performed on a human glioblastoma cell line (i.e., U87-MG), using viability assays, transmission electron microscopy, fluorescence microscopy, cytometric analyses and PPT experiments. Results: Experiments confirm the excellent biocompatibility of Ker-AuNPs, their efficient cellular uptake and localized photothermal heating capabilities. Conclusion: The reported structural and functional properties pointed out these Ker-AuNPs as a promising new tool in the field of biocompatible photothermal agents for PPT treatments against cancer-related diseases. This work involves the synthesis and application of nanosized keratin-coated gold particles; a protein extracted from wool. Their effect against a specific type of brain cancer, glioblastoma, is investigated. Gold nanoparticles have been the subject of a lot of interest recently due to their ability to convert light energy into heat energy. When the keratin-coated nanoparticles were up taken into cancerous cells and exposed to light from a laser, they heated up and killed the cancer cells. The next step for this research is to conduct more detailed studies in animals, hopefully leading to a new generation of nanosized therapeutics in the fight against cancer.