Engineered metal nanoparticles and methods thereof

Abstract

A pharmaceutical composition comprises a metal nanoparticle having an average diameter of about 0.5 nm to about 5 nm. The composition may be used to treat cancer or an anosmia-related disease.

1 .- 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A pharmaceutical composition comprising a therapeutically effective amount of a metal nanoparticle. 
     
     
         22 . The pharmaceutical composition of  claim 21 , wherein the metal nanoparticle has an average diameter of about 0.5 nm to about 5 nm. 
     
     
         23 . The pharmaceutical composition of  claim 21 , wherein the metal nanoparticle has an average diameter of about 1 nm to about 3 nm. 
     
     
         24 . The pharmaceutical composition of  claim 21 , wherein the metal nanoparticle has an average diameter of about 1 nm to about 2.5 nm. 
     
     
         25 . The pharmaceutical composition of  claim 21 , wherein the metal nanoparticle comprises about 25 atoms to about 100 atoms. 
     
     
         26 . The pharmaceutical composition of  claim 21 , wherein the metal nanoparticle comprises about 30 atoms to about 60 atoms. 
     
     
         27 . The pharmaceutical composition of  claim 21 , wherein the metal nanoparticle further comprises a coating. 
     
     
         28 . The pharmaceutical composition of  claim 27 , wherein the coating surrounds the periphery of the metal nanoparticle. 
     
     
         29 . The pharmaceutical composition of  claim 27 , wherein the coating comprises a polypeptide or a polyether. 
     
     
         30 . The pharmaceutical composition of  claim 27 , wherein the coating comprises polyethylene glycol. 
     
     
         31 . The pharmaceutical composition of  claim 30 , wherein the polyethylene glycol has a molecular weight of about 100 g/mol to about 1000 g/mol. 
     
     
         32 . The pharmaceutical composition of  claim 30 , wherein the polyethylene glycol has a molecular weight of about 300 g/mol to about 750 g/mol. 
     
     
         33 . The pharmaceutical composition of  claim 30 , wherein the polyethylene glycol has a molecular weight of about 400 g/mol. 
     
     
         34 . The pharmaceutical composition of  claim 27 , wherein coating is covalently bonded to the metal nanoparticle. 
     
     
         35 . The pharmaceutical composition of  claim 27 , wherein the coating withdraws electron charge from the metal nanoparticle and increases binding energy to the metal nanoparticle. 
     
     
         36 . The pharmaceutical composition of  claim 27 , wherein the coating donates electron charge to the metal nanoparticle and decreases binding energy to the metal nanoparticle. 
     
     
         37 . The pharmaceutical composition of  claim 27 , wherein the coating and the metal nanoparticle form a conjugated electron system. 
     
     
         38 . A method of treating cancer in a patient, said method comprising the step of administering to the patient a therapeutically effective amount of a pharmaceutical composition comprising a therapeutically effective amount of a metal nanoparticle. 
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 38 , wherein the metal nanoparticle selectively causes apoptosis in cancerous cells compared to noncancerous cells. 
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein the noncancerous cells are noncancerous astrocytes.