Nanotechnology-based targeting of cancer cells is one promising approach to meet drug delivery system. In this method, therapeutic agents attached to a nanoparticle can specifically target a binding site on the surface of cancer cells [1]. However, a suitable nanoparticle is very important for efficient drug delivery. Nanoparticles have shown an ability to improve pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, efficacy and to reduce the toxicity of associated drugs. A variety of nanoparticles of different structural and chemical formulations have been tested for their target specificity and as drug carrier systems. Porphyrins are a class of tetrapyrroles that have attracted the attention of researchers worldwide owing to their extensive application as photosensitising drugs in medicine [2]. Porphyrin species such as deuteroporphyrin IX, haematoporphyrin IX, mesoporphyrin IX and protoporphyrin IX are widely used as photosensitizers in cancer treatment [3]. In this study, we have designed a new porphyrin-conjugated gold nanoparticle to selectively target and photo- or sonodynamic therapy of tumoural cells. In order to improve the cell uptake effect of porphyrins derivatives, gold nanoparticle was chosen as carrier. For this purpose, we used 6-mercapto-1-hexanol, as a bifunctional linker. Then, we conjugated the thiol-terminated photosensitizer to the gold nanoparticles through a fast and single-phase system reaction. The conjugated gold nanoparticles characterized by the elemental analysis, atomic absorption UV-vis spectrum and Transmission electron microscopic images.

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