對於專一性的標靶治療，金奈米載體提供了一個全新的平台。金奈米粒子利用特有的物理與化學的特性在藥物運送上扮演重要的角色。複合上生物性的抗原或抗體、光學感應器、疾病及癌症治療的藥物的金奈米複合物被廣泛的應用在生物體上。
ConA，一種從Jack bean 中分離出的醣類結合蛋白。在正常生理pH和溫度下，ConA靠著氫鍵和六個分子間的鹽橋形成四聚體的形式，並且對於α-D-glucose, α-D-mannose有極高專一性的親和力，可以藉由這個特性結合到細胞表面上具有此類糖蛋白的區域。另一方面，ConA在In Vitro和In Vivo上有許多生物活性，包含刺激免疫細胞增生(Mitogenesis) 和細胞毒性(Cytotoxicity)。
在我的研究裡，我製備出ConA 複合的金奈米粒子“ ConA–AuNP ”複合物，並且利用癌細胞在In Vitro 及 In Vivo上測試它的治療效果。根據我們的實驗結果發現，在由LL2細胞所引起的小鼠路易斯型肺癌上ConA–AuNP複合物相較相同劑量下的 Free ConA無論在In Vitro 以及In Vivo都有更好的治療效果。
因此，我們的認為ConA–AuNP複合物相較於Free ConA在癌症的治療上可能有更好的治療效果。

This study provides a novel platform for Gold nanoparticles (AuNP) as agents of target-specific delivery therapy. AuNP exploit their unique chemical and physical properties for transporting and loading the pharmaceutics. AuNP conjucated with biological ligands or antibody, optical sensing, and therapeutic drug for various diseases or in cancer is popular used in biology.
Concanavalin A (ConA) is a lectin isolated from jack bean. At physiological pH value and temperature, the tetramer predominates, which is stabilized by hydrogen bonds and six inter-dimer salt-bridges. Because ConA has high affinity to α-D-glucose and α-D-mannose, it can bind to the carbohydrate moiety of glycoconjuates on the cellular membranes. On the other hand, ConA has been associated with a variety of biological effects including mitogenesis and cytotoxicity in vitro and in vivo.
In this study, I developed a formulation of ConA bound to the gold nanoparticle (ConA–AuNP) complex and examined its therapeutic effects on cancer cells in vitro and in vivo. ConA–AuNP complex showed higher cytotoxic effects on mouse lewis lung carcinoma cells (LL2) compared with an equal dose of Free ConA.
These results suggest that ConA–AuNP complex may be more effective than free ConA for cancer treatment.

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