Fluorescent gold nanoclusters for efficient cancer cell targeting

Well-known surface properties of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) offer easy surface modification with desired biomolecule, thus enabling them to be used for targeting and imaging of cancer cells/tissues. However, targeting and imaging capability come through after synthesis coating of AuNPs' surface with targeting or imaging molecules. Attempts have been made to conjugate both imaging and targeting molecules over the AuNPs, but have seen limited success. Hence, exploiting the fluorescence properties of gold nanoclusters (AuNCs), we have synthesized glucose-coated AuNCs for exhibiting both the imaging and targeting properties. These clusters have shown rapid and selective uptake in cancerous (A549) cells when compared with bovine serum albumin-coated AuNCs.