Optimizing the interface between nanoparticles (NPs) and the biological environment at\nvarious levels should be considered for improving delivery of NPs to the target tumor area. For NPs\nto be successfully delivered to cancer cells, NPs needs to be functionalized for circulation through the\nblood vessels. In this study, accumulation of Polyethylene Glycol (PEG) functionalized gold\nnanoparticles (GNPs) was first tested using in vitro monolayer cells and multilayer cell models prior\nto in vivo models. A diameter of 10 nm sized GNP was selected for this study for sufficient\npenetration through tumor tissue. The surfaces of the GNPs were modified with PEG molecules, to\nimprove circulation time by reducing non-specific uptake by the reticuloendothelial system (RES) in\nanimal models, and with a peptide containing integrin binding domain, RGD (arginyl-glycyl-aspartic\nacid), to improve internalization at the cellular level. A 10ââ?¬â??12% accumulation of the injected GNP\ndose within the tumor was observed in vivo and the GNPs remained within the tumor tissue up to\n72 h. This study suggests an in vitro platform for optimizing the accumulation of NP complexes in\ncells and tissue structures before testing them in animal models. Higher accumulation within the\ntumor in vivo upon surface modification is a promising outcome for future applications where GNPs\ncan be used for drug delivery and radiation therapy.
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