Theranostic nanoparticles ZIF-8@ICG for pH/NIR-responsive drug-release and NIR-guided chemo-phototherapy against non-small-cell lung cancer

• Published in: Journal of materials science. Materials in medicine 2024-06, Vol.35 (1), p.32-14, Article 32
• Main Authors: Lu, Kaiming, Pan, Xiongfeng, Zheng, Jinyu, Cheng, Dezhi, Zheng, Liangcheng, Zhang, Xinbo
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: A549 Cells; Animals; Anticancer properties; Biocompatibility; Biomaterials; Biomedical Engineering and Bioengineering; Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung - drug therapy; Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung - pathology; Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung - therapy; Cell Line, Tumor; Ceramics; Chemistry and Materials Science; Composites; Delivery Systems; Drug delivery; Drug Delivery Systems; Drug Liberation; Electrostatic properties; Glass; Humans; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; Imidazoles; In vitro methods and tests; In vivo methods and tests; Indocyanine Green - chemistry; Infrared Rays; Irradiation; Lung cancer; Lung Neoplasms - drug therapy; Lung Neoplasms - pathology; Lung Neoplasms - therapy; Materials Science; Metal-organic frameworks; Metal-Organic Frameworks - chemistry; Mice; Mice, Inbred BALB C; Mice, Nude; Nanoparticles; Nanoparticles - chemistry; Nanotechnology; Natural Materials; Near infrared radiation; Non-small cell lung carcinoma; Paclitaxel; Paclitaxel - chemistry; Paclitaxel - pharmacology; pH effects; Phototherapy; Phototherapy - methods; Polymer Sciences; Radiation; Regenerative Medicine/Tissue Engineering; Self-assembly; Small cell lung carcinoma; Surfaces and Interfaces; Theranostic Nanomedicine - methods; Thin Films; Toxicity; Tumor microenvironment; Tumors; Zeolites; Zeolites - chemistry
• ISSN: 1573-4838; 0957-4530; 1573-4838
• DOI: 10.1007/s10856-024-06802-1

This study leverages nanotechnology by encapsulating indocyanine green (ICG) and paclitaxel (Tax) using zeolitic imidazolate frameworks-8 (ZIF-8) as a scaffold. This study aims to investigate the chemo-photothermal therapeutic potential of ZIF-8@ICG@Tax nanoparticles (NPs) in the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). An “all-in-one” theranostic ZIF-8@ICG@Tax NPs was conducted by self-assembly based on electrostatic interaction. First, the photothermal effect, stability, pH responsiveness, drug release, and blood compatibility of ZIF-8@ICG@Tax were evaluated through in vitro testing. Furthermore, the hepatic and renal toxicity of ZIF-8@ICG@Tax were assessed through in vivo testing. Additionally, the anticancer effects of these nanoparticles were investigated both in vitro and in vivo. Uniform and stable chemo-photothermal ZIF-8@ICG@Tax NPs had been successfully synthesized and had outstanding drug releasing capacities. Moreover, ZIF-8@ICG@Tax NPs showed remarkable responsiveness dependent both on pH in the tumor microenvironment and NIR irradiation, allowing for targeted drug delivery and controlled drug release. NIR irradiation can enhance the tumor cell response to ZIF-8@ICG@Tax uptake, thereby promoting the anti-tumor growth in vitro and in vivo. ZIF-8@ICG@Tax and NIR irradiation have demonstrated remarkable synergistic anti-tumor growth properties compared to their individual components. This novel theranostic chemo-photothermal NPs hold great potential as a viable treatment option for NSCLC. Graphical Abstract A novel nano-theranostic platform was developed by encapsulating indocyanine green and paclitaxel within a zeolitie imidazolate framework-8 (ZIF-8). This chemo-phototherapic agent demonstrated accurate tumor targeting and effective suppression effects on both tumor growth in non-small cell lung cancer.