β-Cyclodextrin-bearing gold glyconanoparticles for the development of site specific drug delivery systems.

Three novel gold nanoparticles containing multiple long, flexible linkers decorated with lactose, beta-cyclodextrin, and both simultaneously have been prepared. The interaction of such nanoparticles with beta-D-galactose-recognizing lectins peanut agglutinin (PNA) and human galectin-3 (Gal-3) was demonstrated by UV-vis studies. Gal-3 is well-known to be overexpressed in several human tumors and can act as a biorecognizable target. This technique also allowed us to estimate their loading capability toward the anticancer drug methotrexate (MTX). Both results make these glyconanoparticles potential site-specific delivery systems for anticancer drugs.