Scientists attached the peptide drug triptorelin to tiny gold particles to make a contrast agent that homes in on prostate cancer cells for CT scans. The new particles were safe in lab tests and gave a stronger X‑ray signal and clearer images than regular gold particles, but this is a medical imaging tool, not a supplement or therapy you can use yourself.

Nanocomplexes, as targeted contrast agents, have been developing for diagnostic imaging, especially in computed tomography (CT). The present study aimed to investigate a novel approach using Triptorelin-conjugated Alginate-coated Gold Nanoparticles (TAuNPs) for early prostate cancer diagnosis through molecular CT imaging. In the current experimental study, AuNPs and TAuNPs were synthesized and then characterized using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, and dynamic light scattering (DLS), and the AuNPs cytotoxicity and the cell viability were also assessed using the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5- diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. The intensity of X-ray attenuation and contrast to noise ratio (CNR) for nontargeted and targeted nanoparticles were measured for tube voltages of 90.0, 120.0, and 140.0 kVp at different mAs, and the four different concentrations, including 25.0, 50.0, 75.0, and 100.0 μg/ml. The synthesized TAuNPs are non-toxic within the concentration range of 25-100 μg/ml, at tube potentials of 90.0, 120.0, and 140.0 kVp, and 145.0 as well as 266.0 mA. Also, the X-ray attenuation of targeted cells was 1.74, 2.23, and 2 times higher, respectively, than that of non-targeted cells for a concentration of 100 μg/ml. Furthermore, the CNR values for TAuNPs compared to AuNPs at tube potentials of 90.0, 120.0, and 140.0 kVp, and 266.0 mA, were 1.65, 3.35, and 2.57 c/ϭ, respectively. The current study demonstrates that synthesized TAuNPs are emerged as a contrast agent, which is targeted for molecular CT imaging of prostate cancer cells, expressing the gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) receptor.