Table 4.

Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) responsive to laser via surface plasmon resonance (SPR).

AuNP Structure and Size	In Vitro Effects	In Vivo Effects	Ref.
25–150 nm	SPR peaked between 500 and 1000 nm. The dependence of heat efficiency on size and wavelength decreased after cellular uptake (PC3 cells).	The dependence of heat efficiency on size and wavelength decreased only after cellular uptake (intratumoral injection of Au stars, PC3 xenograft).	[69]
Branched AuNPs Deoxycholate concentration-dependent particle size	cRGD-branched AuNPs decreased cell viability on BxPC3 cells after photothermal ablation (NIR laser source at 808 nm, 1.4 W/cm2, for 3 min).	cRGD-branched AuNPs + NIR laser irradiation had the best antitumor effect on BxPC3 xenograft.	[70]
Raw carbon nanotubes 1–2 nm Size of final product varied.	Increased cytotoxicity in combination with NIR irradiation at 808 nm for 15 min (1.6 W, spot size 5 × 20 mm2, HeLa cells).	None	[71]
Nanorods 60 × 14.8 ± 6.5 × 2.0 nm Nanocage edge length 50 ± 7 nm	Compared to nanorod, nanocage had higher light-to-heat transduction efficiencies and higher cellular uptake (HUVEC and DU145 cells).	Compared to nanorod, nanocage had more optimal biodistribution profile over time and higher excretion rate.	[72]
	TAT facilitated cellular uptake. Higher photothermolysis efficiency on BT549 breast cancer cells (850 nm pulsed laser source under 0.2 W/cm2 irradiation).	None	[73]
Au nanostar 32.6 nm Au-cRCD-Dox 124.7 nm	cRGD facilitated cellular uptake. Synergistic effect of photothermal therapy and chemotherapy (765 nm high power multimode pump laser, 1.0 W/cm2, 10–15 min, MDA-MB-231 and Bel-7402 cells).	Prominent accumulation in tumor and reticuloendothelial system in the liver, and synergistic effect of photothermal therapy and chemotherapy (S180 xenograft).	[74]
47 nm	Enhanced photothermal therapy outcome on Mucin-7-expressing MBT2, T24, 9202, and 8301 cells at low energy levels (500 exposures, 532 nm laser)	None	[75]
AuNP 9.1 ± 0.64 nm Au@PB NPs 17.8 ± 2.3 nm	Enhanced photothermal cytotoxicity (HeLa cells, NIR 808 nm laser, 1.5W/cm2, 10 min). Concentration dependent X-ray, CT, and photoacoustic signals.	Enabled photothermal ablation and simultaneous photoacoustic/CT bimodal imaging (HT-29 xenograft).	[77]
AuNP 3–7 nm AuNP-liposome 100 nm	Laser induced disintegration of liposome and triggered release of fluorescein (fiber-optic guided 65 mW laser, 532 nm).	Higher tumoral retention of fluorescein by liposome as compared to free fluorescein, and fluorescein release triggered by laser (MDA-MB 231 cell xenograft).	[78]
LiposAuNPs 100–120 nm	LiposAuNPs were biocompatible on NIT-3T3 cell line, but exhibited cytotoxicity in combination with laser irradiation (MCF-7 and HT1080 cells).	In situ degradation in hepatocytes and clearance through hepatobiliary and renal routes. Complete tumor ablation using NIR laser (750 nm).	[79]
60 nm	Intracellular synergy by (1) nanocluster formation after cellular internalization of AuNPs and TNs; (2) release of the chemo agent upon receiving laser pulse by generation of plasmonic nanobubbles; (3) amplification of X-ray. (HN31 cell lines).	Quadrapeutics system including AuNPs, TNs, laser, and X-ray had the most improved efficacy on fast-growing aggressive HN31 xenograft, as compared with standard chemoradiation.	[80]
35 nm	Hydrogel shell formation on cells. Enhanced cytotoxicity via combination of photothermal therapy and photodynamic therapy (808 nm, 200 mW/cm2, HeLa and Chinese hamster ovary cells).	None	[81]
AuNP 5 nm, FA- miR-122-AuNP 20 nm, GO and GGMPN nanocomposites 500 nm	P-gp antibody and FA facilitated cell targeting. Increased apoptosis on drug-resistant HepG2 cells.	Apoptosis induction and tumor growth inhibition on HepG2 xenograft (semiconductor laser light source, 10 min, every 2 days, 10 treatments).	[82]
rGO (< 200 nm) Thickness of GO/silica nanosheets 44 nm, AuNP 4 nm	Anti-EGFR SERS probe nanocomposite. Cancer cell tracking by Raman imaging. Enhanced cytotoxicity by synergistic photothermal effect of AuNP and rGO (808 nm laser, 0.5 W/cm2, A549 cells).	None	[83]
Nanorods length 65.0± 7.5 nm and width 12.0 ± 1.5 nm	Loading of nanorods@ SiO2@CXCR4 into human iPS cells. Reservation of viability of iPS cells and photothermal property of Au nanorods.	Stem cell mediated tumoral delivery, MGC803 xenograft. Prolonged tumoral retention confirmed by photoacoustic and two-photon luminescence imaging. Tumor growth inhibition via photothermal therapy (NIR laser at 808 nm 1.5 W/cm2)	[84]
SPIO 10 nm SPIO@AuNPs 82 ± 4 nm	Loading of SPIO@AuNPs into AD-MSCs. Reservation of viability of AD-MSCs and photothermal and magnetic properties of SPIO@AuNPs. Photothermal ablation of HepG2 cells by SPIO@AuNP–loaded AD-MSCs.	Homing of AD-MSCs to liver injuries or HCC confirmed by MR imaging and histologic analysis.	[85]
30–50 nm	None	Proved NPs interact with ablative techniques differently. Cellular incorporation of NP was only observed after combination with irreversible electroporation. Structural deformation was only observed in combination with laser-induced thermal therapy (808 nm NIR laser).	[68]

cRGO, cyclic RGD; NIR, near infrared; TAT, TAT peptide; Dox, doxorubicin; PB, Prussian blue; CT, computed tomography; TN, therapeutic nanoparticle; P-gp, P-glycoprotein; FA, folic acid; miRNA, GO, graphene oxide; SERS, surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy; EGFR, epidermal growth factor receptor; rGO, reduced graphene oxide; iPS, human induced pluripotent stem cells; MR, magnetic resonance; HCC, hepatocellular carcinoma; Ad-MSCs, adipose-derived mesenchymal cells; GGMPN, gold nanoparticles loaded with miR-122; SPIO@AuNPs, superparamagnetic iron oxide-coated gold nanoparticles.