Gold particles have been widely used in the treatment of prostate cancer due to their unique optical properties, such as their light-heat conversion in response to near-infrared radiation. Due to well-defined synthesis mechanisms and simple manufacturing methods, gold particles have been fabricated in various sizes and shapes. However, the low photothermal transduction efficiency in their present form is a major obstacle to practical and therapeutic uses of these particles. In the current work, we present a silica-coated gold nanoparticle cluster to address the therapeutic limit of single gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) and use its photothermal effect for treatment against PC-3, a typical prostate cancer. Due to its specific nanostructure, this gold nanocluster showed three times higher photothermal transduction efficiency than free single AuNPs. Moreover, while free single particles easily clump and lose optical properties, this silica-coated cluster form remained stable for a longer time in a given medium. In photothermal tests under near-infrared radiation, the excellent therapeutic efficacy of gold nanoclusters, referred to as AuNC@SiO2, was observed in a preclinical sample. Only the samples with both injected nanoclusters followed by photothermal treatment showed completely degraded tumors after 15 days. Due to the unique intrinsic biocompatibility and higher therapeutic effect of these silica-coated gold nanoclusters, they may contribute to enhancement of therapeutic efficacy against prostate cancer.

中文翻译：

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金纳米颗粒簇用于研究近红外辐射下对前列腺癌的治疗效果。

金粒子由于其独特的光学特性，例如响应近红外辐射而进行的光热转换，已被广泛用于治疗前列腺癌。由于明确的合成机制和简单的制造方法，金颗粒已被制成各种尺寸和形状。然而，目前形式的低光热传导效率是这些颗粒的实际和治疗用途的主要障碍。在当前工作中，我们提出了一种二氧化硅包覆的金纳米粒子簇，以解决单金纳米粒子（AuNPs）的治疗局限性，并利用其光热效应来治疗PC-3（一种典型的前列腺癌）。由于其特定的纳米结构，这种金纳米簇的光热转换效率是游离的单个AuNP的三倍。此外，虽然游离的单个颗粒容易结块并失去光学性能，但这种二氧化硅涂层的簇状形式在给定的介质中可保持较长时间的稳定性。在近红外辐射下的光热测试中，在临床前样品中观察到了金纳米团簇（称为AuNC @ SiO2）的出色治疗功效。15天后，只有同时注入两个纳米簇并进行光热处理的样品才显示出肿瘤完全降解。由于这些二氧化硅涂层的金纳米团簇具有独特的固有生物相容性和更高的治疗效果，因此它们可能有助于增强抗前列腺癌的治疗功效。在近红外辐射下的光热测试中，在临床前样品中观察到了金纳米团簇（称为AuNC @ SiO2）的出色治疗功效。15天后，只有同时注入两个纳米簇并进行光热处理的样品才显示出完全降解的肿瘤。由于这些二氧化硅涂层的金纳米团簇具有独特的固有生物相容性和更高的治疗效果，因此它们可能有助于增强抗前列腺癌的治疗功效。在近红外辐射下的光热测试中，在临床前样品中观察到了金纳米团簇（称为AuNC @ SiO2）的出色治疗功效。15天后，只有同时注入两个纳米簇并进行光热处理的样品才显示出完全降解的肿瘤。由于这些二氧化硅涂层的金纳米团簇具有独特的固有生物相容性和更高的治疗效果，因此它们可能有助于增强抗前列腺癌的治疗功效。