Encapsulating doxorubicin in PEGylation metal-organic frameworks for combined radiation therapy in liver cancer treatment

Abstract

It is well known that nanoscale metal-organic frameworks (NMOFs) have exhibited brilliant advantages in cancer diagnosis and treatment due to their structural diversity, high intrinsic biodegradability, and drug-loading capacities. Herein, based on our previous results, hypoxia was suppressed by inhibiting the expression of the CA IX protein, produced from Zr-MOF nanoparticles, and enhancing radiation therapy (RT) effectiveness. We designed a nanocomposite by encapsulating doxorubicin into Zr-MOF nanoparticles. It is a highly effective drug for chemotherapy and MOF that can absorb X-rays well, applied to enhance RT as the radiosensitizer. PEG is used for surface modification in the nanoparticles and to improve circulation time by intravenous administration. These nanoparticles could be applied for RT combing with chemotherapy in vitro and vivo, obtaining excellent anticancer efficacy. Most importantly, Zr-MOF@Dox demonstrates high clearance from HepG2 tumor cells, reducing the circulation of toxicity in vivo. Our research exhibits a new approach to establishing Zr-MOF@Dox as a biodegradable drug-carrier system, containing chemotherapy drugs and functional elements that totally perform the diagnosis and treatment roles of RT.