Rational fabrication of a two-photon responsive metal–organic framework for enhanced photodynamic therapy

Abstract

The rational design of a specific platform that can address the unavoidable side effects of traditional cancer treatments is of great interest. In this sense, herein, an intelligent nanoplatform (ZnL1@MOF-199@FA) with efficient reactive oxygen species (ROS) production ability in vitro with or without laser irradiation has been designed and fabricated. Furthermore, the loading of a two-photon active photosensitizer ZnL1 could induce ¹O₂ and O₂˙⁻ upon near-infrared light irradiation, showing a promising photodynamic therapy (PDT) outcome. Notably, in an acidic environment, the copper ions resulting from the degradation of MOF-199 could convert H₂O₂ into O₂ and ˙OH. Hereinto, the resulting O₂ may mitigate the hypoxic environment and further promote PDT efficiency. This work provides a controllable strategy to construct functional materials with an enhanced PDT outcome in a hypoxic microenvironment.