Preclinical evaluation of gold-DTDTPA nanoparticles as theranostic agents in prostate cancer radiotherapy

Aim: Gold nanoparticles have attracted significant interest in cancer diagnosis and treatment. Herein, we evaluated the theranostic potential of dithiolated diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (DTDTPA) conjugated AuNPs (Au@DTDTPA) for CT-contrast enhancement and radiosensitizationin prostate cancer. Materials & methods: In vitro assays determined Au@DTDTPA uptake, cytotoxicity, radiosensitizingpotential and DNA damage profiles. Human PC3 xenograft tumor models were used to determine CT enhancement and radiation modulating effects in vivo. Results: Cells exposed to nanoparticles and radiation observed significant additional reduction in survival compared with radiation only. Au@DTDTPA produced a CT enhancement of 10% and a significant extension in tumor growth delayfrom 16.9 days to 38.3 compared with radiation only. Conclusion: This study demonstrates the potential of Au@DTDTPA to enhance CT-image contrast and simultaneously increases the radiosensitivityof prostate tumors.