Preclinical Assessment of Metallic Nanotheranostics for Pancreatic and Prostatic Carcinoma: Sustainable Synthesis and Biodistribution Study

Metallic nanoparticles present interesting properties for imaging and therapeutic applications in oncology.We described the synthesis of core-shell gold-iron oxide nanoparticles, designed by green chemistry, in theranostic application.Core-shell Fe 3 O 4 @ Au nanoparticles integrate the magnetic characteristics of the Fe 3 O 4 core with the distinct properties of metallic gold, resulting in a multifunctional agent for therapeutic applications.Objectives: The assessment of the MRI contrast agent and radiosensitizer properties of hybrid nanoparticles.Methods: We assessed the toxicity of the hybrid nanoparticles (NP) on tumor cells, the effects of NP stimulated by X-rays radiations, their properties as T2 contrast agent for MRI and their biodistribution.Results: Herein, we report a sustainable protocol to synthesize by green chemistry core-shell nanoparticles Fe 3 O 4 @Au involving 3 consecutive steps: (i) ultrasonically assisted synthesis of monodispersed 7-8 nm magnetite nanoparticles (ii) adsorption of L-Cysteine to the Fe 3 O 4 nanoparticles, and (iii) reductive deposition of the uniform gold shell on Fe 3 O 4 /L-Cysteine precursor under controlled conditions.The obtained core-shell nanoparticles exhibit distinct magnetic properties (Ms = 48 emug-1, Hc = 6 mT).The functionalization of nanoparticles either by neurotensin or by AMD 3100 reported different profile of biodistribution.Finally, we reported the radioenhancement property of these NP for the treatment of pancreatic adenocarcinoma and prostatic carcinoma and to act as T2 contrast agent for medical imaging.The physicochemical properties and the biodistribution profile suggest that the intratumoral injection would be the best way to accumulate the nanoparticles in the targeted tissue.