Anti-EGFR-Coated Gold Nanoparticles In Vitro Carry 5-Fluorouracil to Colorectal Cancer Cells.

: The aim of the current study is to present a strategy to improve the efficiency of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), which is widely used as antineoplastic agent against solid tumors-based on the use of gold nanocarriers to overcome the resistance of colorectal cancer cells. 5-FU was loaded on gold nanoparticles (AuNP) coated with anti-EGFR antibodies in order to target them towards colorectal cancer cells that overexpress epidermal growth factor receptors (EGFR). Physicochemical characterization has shown that AuNP size was approximately 20 nm and that AuNP functionalization led to spherical nanoparticles. Flow cytometry allowed observing that some compounds synthesized by our research group have induced apoptosis/necrosis and impaired the proliferation of colon cancer cell lines 'HCT-116' and 'HT-29'. The antibody/drug combination in AuNP (AuNP 5FU EGFR) has improved the apoptosis rate and impaired cell proliferation in both cell lines, regardless of the exposure time. Overall, these results have shown that AuNP functionalization with monoclonal antibodies focused on delivering 5-FU to tumor cells is an exciting strategy against colorectal cancer.

Nanoparticle vaccines against viral infections.

Despite numerous efforts, we still do not have prophylactic vaccines for many clinically relevant viruses, such as HIV, hepatitis C virus, Zika virus, and respiratory syncytial virus. Several factors have contributed to the current lack of effective vaccines, including the high rate of viral mutation, low immunogenicity of recombinant viral antigens, instability of viral antigenic proteins administered in vivo, sophisticated mechanisms of viral immune evasion, and inefficient induction of mucosal immunity by vaccine models studied to date. Some of these obstacles could be partially overcome by the use of vaccine adjuvants. Nanoparticles have been intensively investigated as vaccine adjuvants because they possess chemical and structural properties that improve immunogenicity. The use of nanotechnology in the construction of immunization systems has developed into the field of viral nanovaccinology. The purpose of this paper is to review and correlate recent discoveries concerning nanoparticles and specific properties that contribute to the immunogenicity of viral nanoparticle vaccines, bio-nano interaction, design of nanoparticle vaccines for clinically relevant viruses, and future prospects for viral nanoparticle vaccination.