Figures & data
Figure 1. Different applications of gold nanoparticles in diagnosis and therapy. Nanoparticles are used in a variety of contexts such as: photo thermal therapy, targeting, drug delivery, imaging, nucleic acid delivery, toxin and microbial agent removal and as an adjuvant.
![Figure 1. Different applications of gold nanoparticles in diagnosis and therapy. Nanoparticles are used in a variety of contexts such as: photo thermal therapy, targeting, drug delivery, imaging, nucleic acid delivery, toxin and microbial agent removal and as an adjuvant.](/cms/asset/8206d855-fab9-498f-b3a1-11edd5966fe3/ianb_a_1430585_f0001_c.jpg)
Figure 2. The most frequently employed AuNPs in photothermal therapy. Various types of AuNPs can be used in photothermal therapy. They have different sizes and shapes, and each one has advantages. Nanostars, nanocages, nanorods and nanoshell are the most common nanoparticles in photothermal therapy.
![Figure 2. The most frequently employed AuNPs in photothermal therapy. Various types of AuNPs can be used in photothermal therapy. They have different sizes and shapes, and each one has advantages. Nanostars, nanocages, nanorods and nanoshell are the most common nanoparticles in photothermal therapy.](/cms/asset/d968383a-f8e1-4fbd-b061-b6ce11397d2a/ianb_a_1430585_f0002_c.jpg)
Figure 3. Different therapeutic approaches of gold nanoparticles for melanoma treatment. (a) Targeted delivery of several type of anticancer drugs or anticancer agents to tumour cells by gold nanoparticles. (b) Tumour directed drug delivery: increasing cell death by directed delivery of 5-aminolevulinic acid (5ALA)-conjugated gold nanoparticle. (c) Inhibition of melanoma tumour growth: melanoma tumour growth was inhibited by targeting epidermal growth factor receptor 2. (d) siRNA delivery for melanoma treatment: STAT3 siRNA using chitosan coated AuNP was delivered for increasing the killing rate of melanoma cells. siRNA can inhibit the overexpression of signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) protein, leading enhancement of apoptosis of melanoma cells.
![Figure 3. Different therapeutic approaches of gold nanoparticles for melanoma treatment. (a) Targeted delivery of several type of anticancer drugs or anticancer agents to tumour cells by gold nanoparticles. (b) Tumour directed drug delivery: increasing cell death by directed delivery of 5-aminolevulinic acid (5ALA)-conjugated gold nanoparticle. (c) Inhibition of melanoma tumour growth: melanoma tumour growth was inhibited by targeting epidermal growth factor receptor 2. (d) siRNA delivery for melanoma treatment: STAT3 siRNA using chitosan coated AuNP was delivered for increasing the killing rate of melanoma cells. siRNA can inhibit the overexpression of signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) protein, leading enhancement of apoptosis of melanoma cells.](/cms/asset/4371145e-dd2f-4d00-855b-977941f538f1/ianb_a_1430585_f0003_c.jpg)
Table 1. A brief review of the studies and main endpoints.