Using this approach, García Calavia et al. generated ca. 4 nm AuNPs functionalised with a phthalocyanine derivative (C3Pc) and a lactose derivative to target galectin-1 (a β-galactose-binding lectin that has been documented as being overexpressed in breast cancer), and tested the construct against two breast cancer cell lines: MDA-MB-231 and SK-BR-3.31 These studies demonstrated selective cell death of the SK-BR-3 cell line with the lactose-C3Pc-AuNPs after 3 hours incubation; but no selective cell death was observed for the MDA-MB-231 cell line after 3 hours. This evidence concerns the gene LGALS1 and breast cancer.