# Peptide-Functionalized Gold Nanorods as a Model to Reach the Cell Nucleus: Synthesis and Structural Characterizations in View of Theragnostic Applications

## TL;DR

This paper describes the creation of gold nanorods functionalized with a TAT peptide to deliver drugs to the cell nucleus, validated through various characterizations.

## Contribution

A novel peptide-functionalized gold nanorod system is developed and characterized for targeted drug delivery to the cell nucleus.

## Key findings

- AuNRs-TAT system was successfully synthesized and functionalized.
- Characterizations confirmed nanosize, stability, and successful peptide attachment.
- The system is stable and promising for nuclear-targeted drug delivery.

## Abstract

Gold nanoparticles
are proving to be highly successful for delivering
drugs to specific targets, exploiting carefully designed functionalizations.
This work creates and optimizes the synthesis of gold nanorods (AuNRs),
subsequently functionalized with a peptide, TAT, appropriately modified
to allow attachment to the rods and guide their entry into the cell
nucleus and nuclear growth. Various chemical and physical characterizations
were performed to verify and optimize the AuNRs-TAT system. DLS, Z-potential,
UV–vis, and FT-IR spectroscopies confirmed the nanosize, monodispersity,
colloidal stability, and successful functionalization. Furthermore,
structural characterizations conducted using synchrotron radiation
were crucial for understanding the actual interaction between the
gold surface and the modified TAT peptide. The study highlighted how
this material is indeed a good drug delivery system, stable over time,
and promising for reaching the cell nucleus.