PEG-HAuNS

PEG-HAuNS (PEGylated hollow gold nanospheres) is an inorganic nanoparticle-based theranostic agent consisting of hollow gold nanospheres (HAuNS) coated with polyethylene glycol (PEG). Developed by the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, PEG-HAuNS exhibits strong and tunable surface plasmon resonance absorption in the near-infrared (NIR) region (typically around 800 nm), allowing it to efficiently convert NIR light into heat. This property is utilized for photothermal ablation (PTA) therapy to destroy cancer cells and for photoacoustic tomography (PAT) imaging. Additionally, PEG-HAuNS can serve as a drug delivery vehicle (such as for doxorubicin) to enable light-triggered, localized drug release. The PEG coating enhances the colloidal stability and blood circulation half-life of the nanoparticles, facilitating passive accumulation in tumors via the enhanced permeability and retention (EPR) effect. It has been investigated preclinically for various cancers, including breast cancer, ovarian cancer, melanoma, liver cancer, and lymphoma.

Other names

PEG-coated hollow gold nanospheresPEGylated hollow gold nanospheresPEGylated hollow gold nanoshellspegylated HAuNS