Gold nanoparticles functionalized with ABO blood sugar antigen as nanotools for biomedical applications

Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) hold great promise for medical applications due to their inertness, stability, unique optical properties, and biocompatibility. They can be synthesized with controlled size and surface properties and functionalized with bioactive molecules to create multifunctional platforms with enhanced therapeutic benefits. However, challenges such as biodistribution, circulation times, and clearance rates limit their medical use. The addition of endogenous carbohydrates on the surface of AuNPs, recognized as self-antigens by the immune system, can enhance biocompatibility and increase circulation time. ABO blood sugar antigens are particularly promising for developing stealth AuNPs due to their clinical significance. Recently, ABO blood sugar antigen therapy has gained attention for its potential in biomedicine, such as in the treatment of solid tumors. Consequently, we applied a photo-microfluidic approach to develop a set of four ultra-small AuNPs decorated with ABO blood sugar antigen derivatives (ABO-AuNPs), which mimic the four blood group types. These ABO-AuNPs were fully characterized by transmission electron microscopy and NMR spectroscopy. The obtained nanoparticles could serve as nanoplatforms in biomedical research, including targeted drug delivery, bioimaging, and diagnostic assays, paving the way for further research into their clinical applications, including exploration in precision medicine.