Hybrid Au@alendronate nanoparticles as dual chemo-photothermal agent for combined cancer treatment

A gold therapeutic nanoplatform with the same molecule used as reductant, coating and therapeutic agent has been developed in a one-pot, one-phase process using alendronate, a drug from the bisphosphonate family known for its antitumor effects. In addition, the core made of gold nanoparticles (NPs) brings thermal functionalities under irradiation within the first biological window (650–900 nm). The Au@alendronate nanoplatform thus provided a combined antitumor activity through drug delivery and photothermal therapy. Au@alendronate NPs inhibited in vitro the proliferation of prostate cancer cells (PC3) in a dose-dependent manner, with an IC(50) value of 100 µM. Under NIR irradiation a temperature increase was observed leading to a reduction of the IC(50) value to 1 µM, with total tumor cell death at 100 µM.