Pore engineering of biomolecule-based metal–organic framework nanocarriers for improving loading and release of paclitaxel

Abstract

There has been growing interest in employing metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) incorporated with biomolecules, known as b-MOFs, in biomedical applications. However, it is difficult and challenging to synthesize these materials at the nanoparticle size because of their complex structures constructed from long organic linkers. Herein, we demonstrate the facile and successful synthesis of b-Zn-BPDC and b-Zn-azoBDC, nano-b-MOFs containing nucleobase adenine as biomolecular building blocks, by utilizing surfactants and a post-synthesis linker-exchange method, respectively. Due to its large pore size (26 Å), the linker-exchanged MOF nanomaterial exhibited a higher loading capacity of paclitaxel (PTX), a water-insoluble anticancer drug, than its original framework (948.11 vs. 713.43 mg g⁻¹). Furthermore, the release profiles of PTX loaded b-MOF nanomaterials in phosphate buffered saline (PBS) displayed an increase in PTX solubility with a substantial initial drug release, followed by a progressive release over time. These results suggested that nano-b-MOFs can deliver hydrophobic anticancer drugs.