We are used to necklaces, rings and pendants in gold. But what is less known is that gold also has therapeutic properties: thus, American researchers today hope to use this precious metal to fight against cancer.
Scientists, who published their work in the scientific journal Nature Communication, injected gold nanoparticles (measuring only a few billionths of a meter) directly inside cancer cells.
Gold “flakes” (that is to say: ionic salts) were thus mixed with a liquid (polyethylene glycol) before being injected into diseased cells where they were quickly transformed into nanoparticles – able to act against cancer. This transformation took place in about 30 minutes.
Locally destroy cancer cells using gold flakes
Next step : the researchers scanned the mice used for this experiment with lasers. As a result, the gold particles contained in the cancer cells were heated to a high temperature, which destroyed the affected cells and nearby cancerous lesions.
For Prof. Dipanjan Pan, professor of chemical, biochemical and environmental engineering at UMBC (University of Maryland, Baltimore County), this work constitutes a “not important to an ultimate goal“.”This experiment showed that intracellular formation and nuclear migration of gold nanoparticles was a very promising approach for the application of drug delivery. [Toutefois] before the phases of clinical trials, it will be necessary to assess the long-term effects of nanoparticles on human health“he nuances.
Read also :
Cancer: 4 questions we ask ourselves about lymphoma
Cancer: 9 foods that limit your risks
Cancer drugs: why are the shortages getting worse?
