One of the applications of gold nanoparticles (GNPs) in medicine is radiation dose-enhancing effect. Although there are many simulations, in vitro and in vivo evidence that GNPs can enhance significantly the radiation dose effect of orthovoltage beams. These beams compared with megavoltage (MV) beams, have limited applications in radiotherapy. In order to evaluate GNPs radiosensitization perfor...

Separation of smooth membrane vesicles from whole mouse brain by isopycnic centrifugation in discontinuous sucrose density gradients show an increased membrane proliferation in gold sodium thiomalate (GSTM) treated mice. Induction of membrane proliferation by GSTM seems to be an important factor in converting the avirulent Semliki Forest virus infection into a lethal one.

Here, we bind the sodium dependent amino acid transporter on nitrilotriacetic acid/polyethylene glycol functionalized gold sensors in detergents and perform a detergent-lipid exchange with phosphatidylcholine. We characterize the LeuT structure in the adsorbed film by magnetic contrast neutron reflection using the predicted model from molecular dynamic simulations.

Here we described the preparation and characterization by atomic force microscopy of dumbbell-shaped conjugates between 450 bp double-stranded DNA polymer, poly(dG)-poly(dC), and 5 nm gold nanoparticles (GNPs). We have demonstrated that the size of the nanoparticles in the conjugates can be increased in a controlled fashion. Application of the conjugates for measuring the electrical conductivit...

Monolayer protected gold nanoparticles (MPGN) coated with metal chelating groups were prepared. In the presence of Ce(IV), the MPGN proved to be highly active in promoting the hydrolytic cleavage of the DNA model bis-p-nitrophenyl phosphate (BNP). A 2.5 million-fold rate acceleration of the BNP hydrolysis was measured at a concentration of Ce(IV) as low as 120 microM (pH 7, 25 degrees C). This ...

Nanotechnology has provided many promising nanoplatforms for targeted cancer imaging and therapy. Among these platforms, gold nanoparticles (GNPs) play a unique role in medicine because of their excellent physical and chemical properties. To expand the applications of GNPs in medicine, amounts of targeting moieties, imaging labels, and therapeutic agents have been integrated into these particle...

Novel approaches in synthesis of spherical and multispiked gold nanoparticles coated with polyethylene glycol (PEG) and pH Low Insertion Peptide (pHLIP®) were introduced. The presence of a tumor-targeting pHLIP® peptide in the nanoparticle coating enhances the stability of particles in solution and promotes a pH-dependent cellular uptake. The spherical particles were prepared with sodium citrat...

The first general open-flask synthesis of amine-boranes with inexpensive and readily available reagents, such as sodium borohydride, sodium bicarbonate, water, and the desired amines is described. Even amines bearing borane-reactive functionalities, such as alkene, alkyne, hydroxyl, thiol, ester, amide, nitrile, and nitro are well tolerated. Some of these novel amine-boranes represent stable mo...

Gold nanoparticles capped with cucurbituril[7] have been prepared in the absence of metallic cations and organic ligands. Remarkably, these nanohybrids encapsulate dissolved oxygen and are highly active in electrochemical reduction. The effect of the presence of sodium and ammonium salts on this catalysed process is also analysed.

Treatment of adult mice with gold sodium thiomalate made the normally non-lethal Semliki Forest virus and Sindbis virus infections lethal and increased the virulence of Langat and West Nile viruses. These changes were associated with an enhanced virus invasion of the brain. Depression of the humoral antibody response was not observed.