MOF × Biopolymer: Collaborative Combination of Metal–Organic Framework and Biopolymer for Advanced Anticancer Therapy

Abstract

Metal–organic framework (MOF) nanoparticles with high porosity and greater tunability have emerged as new drug delivery vehicles. However, premature drug release still remains a challenge in the MOF delivery system. Here, we report an enzyme-responsive, polymer-coated MOF gatekeeper system using hyaluronic acid (HA) and PCN-224 nanoMOF. The external surface of nanoMOF can be stably covered by HA through multivalent coordination bonding between the Zr cluster and carboxylic acid of HA, which acts as a gatekeeper. HA allows selective accumulation of drug carriers in CD44 overexpressed cancer cells and enzyme-responsive drug release in the cancer cell environment. In particular, inherent characteristics of PCN-224, which is used as a drug carrier, facilitates the transfer of the drug to cancer cells more stably and allows photodynamic therapy. This HA-PCN system enables a dual chemo and photodynamic therapy to enhance the cancer therapy effect.

Review of the Biomolecular Modification of the Metal-Organ-Framework

“…Folic acid-bovine serum albumin (FA-BSA) was a significant targeting connector for cancer cells, which resulted from efficient internalization via FA-receptors-mediated endocytosis (Jiang et al, 2018 ). Polysaccharide hyaluronic acid (HA) acts as a cancer-targeting ligand when connected with MOF, too, because it recognizes the overexpressed CD44 that occurs in many cancer cells (Liu et al, 2016 ; Kim et al, 2019 ). Another important mechanism of bio-MOFs' targeting movement is the sensing of chemical gradients in environments, which has previously been discovered in bacteria.…”

pH-responsive and hyaluronic acid-functionalized metal–organic frameworks for therapy of osteoarthritis

“…Among the MOFs, MIL-100(Fe) is widely used as a drug carrier due to their notable properties, such as high drug loading capacity (due to its dense pores and large pore size), excellent biocompatibility and pH-responsive property [ 22 – 24 ]. The bottleneck problem for MIL-100(Fe) is poor water stability [ 16 , 25 ], which barriers its application to therapy of OA. Modification with hydrophilic agent hyaluronic acid (HA) can improve the dispersibility and hydrophily of MIL-100(Fe) [ 26 ].…”

pH-responsive and hyaluronic acid-functionalized metal-organic frameworks for therapy of osteoarthritis

“…Among the MOFs, MIL-100(Fe) is widely used as a drug carrier due to their notable properties, such as high drug loading capacity (due to its dense pores and large pore size), excellent biocompatibility and pH-responsive property [22][23][24]. The bottleneck problem for MIL-100(Fe) is poor water stability [16,25], which barriers its application to therapy of OA. Modi cation with hydrophilic agent hyaluronic acid (HA) can improve the dispersibility and hydrophily of MIL-100(Fe) [26].…”