Liao, Y.-T.Y.-T.LiaoLiu, C.-H.C.-H.LiuChin, Y.Y.ChinChen, S.-Y.S.-Y.ChenSHING-HWA LIUHsu, Y.-C.Y.-C.HsuKEVIN CHIA-WEN WU2019-11-122019-11-1220192050-750Xhttps://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85069178006&doi=10.1039%2fc9tb00574a&partnerID=40&md5=8e9161089e6d6187e6aef0751201d82ehttps://scholars.lib.ntu.edu.tw/handle/123456789/431133Herein, a cysteine-functionalized alginate was used to replace cytotoxic cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) on gold nanorods (GNRs) by gold-thiol bonding. The characterization shows that the alginate-modified GNRs (GNR@Alg-Cys) were 137 nm in length (measured by zetasizer) with a negative surface charge (-28.4 mV). The GNR@Alg-Cys showed an intense absorption at 800 nm, indicating the potential of GNR@Alg-Cys for NIR-excited photothermal therapy (PTT). To target cancer cells, a cyclic peptide, c(RGDfK)KKK, was further modified on GNR@Alg-Cys (denoted as GNR@Alg-Cys/RGD). In vitro experiments reveal the apparently enhanced cell viability under a high dose of GNRs as well as the death of SAS-3 cell lines exposed to a single-wavelength laser (808 nm). The animal study revealed that the volume of GNR@Alg-Cys/RGD-treated laser-exposed tumor was reduced five times when compared with that in the case of the control group (PBS-treated tumor). Furthermore, the in vivo toxicity of GNR@Alg-Cys/RGD was evaluated, and no significant effect was observed on the functions of liver and kidneys after PTT. ? 2019 The Royal Society of Chemistry.English[SDGs]SDG3Amino acids; Biocompatibility; Cell culture; Cells; Gold; Nanorods; Peptides; Plasmons; Tumors; Cetyltrimethylammonium bromide; Control groups; Cyclic peptides; Gold nanorods (GNRs); Negative surface charges; Oral squamous cell carcinomata; Photothermal therapy; Single wavelength lasers; Nanoribbonsjournal article10.1039/c9tb00574a2-s2.0-85069178006