Photothermal Therapy: Reversibly Extracellular pH Controlled Cellular Uptake and Photothermal Therapy by PEGylated Mixed-Charge Gold Nanostars (Small 15/2015)

Shielding nanoparticles from nonspecific interactions with normal cells/tissues before they reach and after they leave tumors is crucial for the selective delivery of nanoparticles. On page 1801, G. Lu and co-workers design PEGylated mixed-charge gold nanostars that show a reversible, significant, and sensitive cell affinity and therapeutic efficacy to the extracellular pH gradient between normal tissues and tumors. In vivo, this smart nanosystem shows higher accumulation in tumors and improved photothermal therapeutic efficacy than pH-insensitive gold nanostars.