Developing Supramolecular Metallogel Derived from Pd2L4 Cage Molecule for Delivering an Anti‐Cancer Drug to Melanoma Cell B16−F10

• Published in: Chemistry, an Asian journal an Asian journal, 2024-09, Vol.19 (17), p.e202400419-n/a
• Main Authors: Bera, Sourabh, Dutta, Abhishek, Dastidar, Parthasarathi
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: anticancer; Cage molecules; Cancer; Doxorubicin; drug delivery; Gels; Melanoma; Metal-organic cage; NMR; Nuclear magnetic resonance; Palladium; Porous materials; Porous media; Self-assembly; Single crystals; Supramolecular compounds; Supramolecular gel
• ISSN: 1861-4728; 1861-471X; 1861-471X
• DOI: 10.1002/asia.202400419

Supramolecular gels are an important class of materials that are promising for its wide range of applications including drug delivery. While supramolecular gels are intrinsically porous because of the 3D nano‐matrix (gel matrix) that is being formed due to supramolecular self‐assembly process involving the gelator molecules during gelation, additional nanopores can be introduced to the overall gel if the gelator molecule itself holds molecular cavity such as metal‐organic‐cage (MOC) molecules. A MOC having the molecular formula [(Pd2L24).4NO3].3H2O.2DMF.MeOH (Pd‐cage) (L2=5‐Azido‐N,N′‐di‐pyridin‐3‐yl‐isophthalamide) was successfully synthesized and characterized by FT‐IR, 1H NMR, ESI‐MS and single crystal X‐ray diffraction. Stimuli‐reversible supramolecular metallogel PdG could easily be formed from Pd‐cage in DMSO/water mixture. The molecular cage of Pd‐cage was demonstrated to be available for loading an anti‐cancer drug namely doxorubicin (DOX). Subsequently, DOX was also loaded within PdG and delivered to melanoma cell line B16−F10 displaying significant anti‐cancer activity as revealed by both MTT and scratch assay. Rheoreversibility of PdG and its ability to load and deliver DOX to cancer cells clearly raised hope for developing this metallogel further as topical anticancer gel. A metal organic cage of the type Pd2L4 (L=bis‐pyridyl ligand) has been synthesized and characterized by single crystal X‐ray diffraction. It readily forms metallogel in DMSO/water medium. An anti‐cancer drug doxorubicin is successfully loaded within the metallogel matrix. MTT, scratch assays, confocal images on B16F10 cells show successful delivery of doxorubicin to the cancer cells.