Anna and colleagues have recently published in ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces their work on gold nanocluster-mediated cellular death under electromagnetic radiation.

Gold nanoclusters (Au NCs) have become a promising nanomaterial for cancer therapy due to their biocompatibility and fluorescent properties. In this study, the effect of ultrasmall protein-stabilized 2 nm Au NCs on six types of mammalian cells (fibroblasts, B-lymphocytes, glioblastoma, neuroblastoma, and two types of prostate cancer cells) under electromagnetic radiation is investigated. Cellular association of Au NCs in vitro is concentration-dependent and Au NCs have low intrinsic toxicity. However, when Au NC-incubated cells are exposed to 1 GHz electromagnetic field (microwave radiation, µW), cell viability significantly decreases thus demonstrating that Au NCs exhibit specific µW dependent cytotoxicity, likely resulting from localized heating. Upon i.v. injection in mice, Au NCs are still present at 24 h post administration. Considering the specific µW-dependent cytotoxicity and low intrinsic toxicity, our work suggests the potential of Au NCs as effective and safe nanomedicines for cancer therapy.