Dummert Sarah V, Dörschmidt Sylvia, Bloehs Theresa, Rodewald Katia, Caviglia Miriam, Schmidt Claudia, Hussain Mian Zahid, Warnan Julien, Fischer Roland A, Casini Angela, Ettlinger Romy
Chair of Inorganic and Metal-Organic Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, TUM School of Natural Sciences, Technical University of Munich, Lichtenbergstraße 4, 85748 Garching, Germany.
WACKER-Chair of Macromolecular Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, TUM School of Natural Sciences, Technical University of Munich, Lichtenbergstraße 4, 85748 Garching, Germany.
J Mater Chem B. 2025 Aug 27;13(34):10475-10484. doi: 10.1039/d5tb00614g.
Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are promising candidates for drug carrier systems due to their high porosity and tuneable structures, however, their clinical translation is restrained. Integrating MOFs into processable matrices improves mechanical properties, processability, and often drug delivery performance. Hydrogels, as soft, three-dimensional polymer networks with high flexibility and biocompatibility, are particularly favourable candidates for advanced MOF-based drug carriers. However, a lack of fundamental material studies limits full exploitation of the potential and hinders further development of such composites. To address this, this study provides a physicochemical investigation of MOF/alginate hydrogels using ZIF-8 as a benchmark MOF and thioflavin T (ThT) as a model drug. A rapid, encapsulation approach enabled the fabrication of ThT@ZIF-8 (14.2 wt% loading), which was incorporated into an alginate matrix (ThT@ZIF-8@Alg) at 95 wt%, putting MOF carrier functionality in a processable form. Characterisation including X-ray diffraction, infrared and diffuse-reflectance UV/Vis spectroscopy, and electron microscopy enabled a detailed investigation of MOF properties in the composite and confirmed its retained structural integrity. Drug release studies of ThT@ZIF-8@Alg closely mirrored the pure MOF's pH-triggered behaviour. Furthermore, by comparing different methods of incorporating ThT in (ZIF-8@)Alg matrices, we demonstrate the versatility of such composites in achieving customisable release profiles. preliminary studies of the antiproliferative activity of ThT@ZIF-8@Alg in cancerous and non-tumorigenic cells support the idea of sustained controlled release of ThT over 72 h at pH 7.4. This strategy advances MOF-hydrogel-based drug delivery systems, with potential applications in topical treatments and implant coatings.
金属有机框架材料（MOFs）因其高孔隙率和可调节结构，有望成为药物载体系统的候选材料，然而，它们在临床上的应用受到限制。将MOFs整合到可加工的基质中可以改善机械性能、加工性能，并常常提高药物递送性能。水凝胶作为柔软的三维聚合物网络，具有高柔韧性和生物相容性，是基于MOF的先进药物载体的特别有利的候选材料。然而，缺乏基础材料研究限制了其潜力的充分发挥，并阻碍了此类复合材料的进一步发展。为了解决这个问题，本研究以ZIF-8作为基准MOF，硫黄素T（ThT）作为模型药物，对MOF/藻酸盐水凝胶进行了物理化学研究。一种快速的包封方法能够制备出负载量为14.2 wt%的ThT@ZIF-8，并以95 wt%的比例将其掺入藻酸盐基质（ThT@ZIF-8@Alg）中，使MOF载体功能以可加工的形式存在。包括X射线衍射、红外和漫反射紫外/可见光谱以及电子显微镜在内的表征方法，能够对复合材料中的MOF性质进行详细研究，并证实其结构完整性得以保留。ThT@ZIF-8@Alg的药物释放研究与纯MOF的pH触发行为密切相似。此外，通过比较将ThT掺入（ZIF-8@）Alg基质的不同方法，我们证明了此类复合材料在实现可定制释放曲线方面的多功能性。对ThT@ZIF-8@Alg在癌细胞和非致瘤细胞中的抗增殖活性的初步研究支持了在pH 7.4条件下ThT持续控释72小时的观点。该策略推动了基于MOF-水凝胶的药物递送系统的发展，在局部治疗和植入涂层方面具有潜在应用。
