MOF-801 as a Nanoporous Water-Based Carrier System for In Situ Encapsulation and Sustained Release of 5‑FU for Effective Cancer Therapy

• Published in: Inorganic chemistry 2022-04, Vol.61 (15), p.5912-5925
• Main Authors: Parsaei, Mozhgan, Akhbari, Kamran
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Delayed-Action Preparations; Drug Carriers - chemistry; Fluorouracil - pharmacology; Humans; Metal-Organic Frameworks - chemistry; Metal-Organic Frameworks - pharmacology; Nanopores; Neoplasms; Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared; Water
• ISSN: 0020-1669; 1520-510X
• DOI: 10.1021/acs.inorgchem.2c00380

Nanoporous metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) have been gaining a reputation for their drug delivery applications. In the current work, MOF-801 was successfully prepared by a facile, cost-efficient, and environmentally friendly approach through the reaction of ZrCl4 and fumaric acid as organic linkers to deliver 5-fluorouracil (5-FU). The prepared nanostructure was fully characterized by a series of analytical techniques including Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, powder X-ray diffraction, field-emission scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, UV–vis spectroscopy, 1H NMR spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, high-performance liquid chromatography, and Brunauer–Emmett–Teller analysis. MOF-801 could be used for the delivery of the anticancer drug 5-FU due to its high surface area, suitable pore size, and biocompatible ingredients. Based on in vitro loading and release studies, a high 5-FU loading capacity and pH-dependent drug release behavior were observed. Moreover, the interactions between the structure of MOFs and 5-FU were investigated through Monte Carlo simulation calculations. An in vitro cytotoxicity test was done, and the results indicated that 5-FU@MOF-801 was more potent than 5-FU on SW480 cancerous cells, indicating the highlighted role of this drug delivery system. Finally, the kinetics of drug release was investigated.