Nanoscale Zeolitic Imidazolate Framework (ZIF)–8 in Cancer Theranostics: Current Challenges and Prospects

Abstract

Cancer severely threatens human health and has remained the leading cause of disease–related death for decades. With the rapid advancement of nanomedicine, nanoscale metal–organic frameworks are believed to be potentially applied in the treatment and biomedical imaging for various tumors. Zeolite imidazole framework (ZIF)–8 attracts increasing attention due to its high porosity, large specific surface area, and pH–responsiveness. The designs and modifications of ZIF–8 nanoparticles, as well as the strategy of drug loading, demand a multifaceted and comprehensive understanding of nanomaterial features and tumor characteristics. We searched for studies on ZIF–8–based nanoplatforms in tumor theranostics on Web of Science from 2015 to 2022, mainly focused on the research published in the past 3 years, summarized the progress of their applications in tumor imaging and treatment, and discussed the favorable aspects of ZIF–8 nanoparticles for tumor theranostics as well as the future opportunities and potential challenges. As a kind of metal–organic framework material full of potential, ZIF–8 can be expected to be combined with more therapeutic systems in the future and continue to contribute to all aspects of tumor therapy and diagnosis.

A new era in cancer treatment: harnessing ZIF-8 nanoparticles for PD-1 inhibitor delivery

“…This allows for a sustained release of the drugs directly at the tumor site, providing a targeted approach to cancer treatment. 33 Fascinatingly, ZIF-8 has been suggested as a potential platform for delivering drugs in anti-cancer treatments, owing to its ability to break down in acidic environments. This idea is based on the targeted release of the encapsulated drug molecules near tumor tissues, which are known to secrete substances with a higher level of acidity.…”

“…These hybrid systems are not just a simple sum of their parts; they leverage the advantages of both ZIF-8 and the additional nanomaterials. 20,33,[58][59][60] A recent study has shown that ZIF-8 nanoparticles can be effectively combined with other nanomaterials for the detection and capture of specific cancer cells. This enhances the effectiveness of chemotherapy drugs and minimizes side effects.…”

“…In the context of this study, ZIF-8 nanoparticles served as an instrumental drug carrier for precise and targeted delivery in the realm of cancer therapy. 23,[114][115][116][117][118][119][120][121][122] ZIF-8 nanoparticles have been recently used as carriers for PDL1 siRNA, using a blend of in situ synthesis and physical adsorption. The resulting compound, IM@ZP, allows for the simultaneous delivery of PDL1 siRNA and ZIF-8 nanoparticles to the tumor site, aiming to enhance the antitumor immune response (Fig.…”

Recent advances in the delivery and applications of nonviral CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing

“…Different cells showed different selectivity of the cancer cell membrane coated CRISPR/Cas9 in ZIF delivery, which allows for targeted delivery of gene editing tools, which good potential for future applications [ 91 ]. ZIF-8 is a cage-like coordination compound with rhombic dodecahedron crystals [ 92 ]. Alsaiari et al [ 93 ] initially used ZIF-8 to deliver the Cas9 plasmid/sgRNA system in 2018, and the delivery system showed good biocompatibility, and loading capacity (17%) for both plasmid and sgRNA and gene knockdown efficiency (37% over 4 days) in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells.…”

Dual Zn source strategy for synthesizing ZIFs: zero discharge, less raw material, high output, and better adsorptive performance

“…7 ZIF-8, one typical ZIF material, could be prepared by several methods, including ultrasonic, chemical, mechanochemical, and solvothermal. [10][11][12][13] Huang et al 14 used Zn(OH) 2 as Zn source, and the yield of ZIF-8 was almost 70%; however, the preparation time was very long (30 days) due to the insolubility of Zn(OH) 2 . Shi et al 15 synthesized porous ZIF-8 by a steam-assisted conversion method (dry gel method).…”