Chemical chaperone delivered nanoscale metal–organic frameworks as inhibitor of endoplasmic reticulum for enhanced sensitization of thermo-chemo therapy

Metronidazole-modified Au@BSA nanocomposites for dual sensitization of radiotherapy in solid tumors

The hypoxic microenvironment of solid tumors can lead to reduced therapeutic DNA damage to the tumor cells, thus diminishing tumor sensitivity to radiotherapy. Although hypoxic radiosensitizers can improve radiotherapy efficacy by enhancing the role of oxygen, their effects are limited by the uneven distribution of oxygen within solid tumor tissues. In this study, a novel radiosensitizer via leveraging gold complexes and metronidazole (MN) was synthesized to improve radiotherapeutic efficacy. The gold atoms incorporated in the radiosensitizer enabled efficient deposition of high-energy radiation; the hydrophobic metronidazole was reduced to hydrophilic aminoimidazole under hypoxia conditions and further promoted radiotherapy sensitization. The results of CCK-8 assays, Live/Dead assays, γ-H2AX immunofluorescence indicated that metronidazole-modified Au@BSA nanocomposites (NCs) exhibited excellent antitumor effects. The in vivo antitumor tests further showed an inhibition rate of 100%. These results demonstrated that the NCs successfully enhanced radiotherapy efficacy by the dual sensitization strategy. Overall, we believe this multimodal radiosensitizing nanocomplex can significantly inhibit tumor growth and metastasis, with their hypoxia-oriented characteristics ensuring a higher efficacy and safety.

Spindle shaped Fe-Ni metal organic frameworks wrapped with f-MWCNTs for the efficacious sensing of tartrazine

A facile hydrothermal route was employed for the synthesis of iron-nickel bimetal organic frameworks (Fe-Ni bi-MOFs) and composite with an acid functionalized multi-walled carbon nanotubes (Fe-Ni MOF/f-MWCNTs) for electrochemical detection of tartrazine. The as-prepared Fe-Ni MOF/f-MWCNTs was confirmed by the several physicochemical studies. A micro spindle shaped, highly porous, and crystalline Fe-Ni MOF/f-MWCNTs was noticed. The high sensitivity and stability of Fe-Ni MOF/f-MWCNTs/GCE modified electrode was analyzed. Due to its high porosity nature, the analyte molecule effectively gets adsorbed on the modified electrode and undergo electrochemical oxidation effectively. The modified electrode exhibits low limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ) as 0.04 × 10-6 mol/L and 0.13 × 10-6 mol/L towards tartrazine. These results reveal the potential applications of Fe-Ni MOF/f-MWCNTs/GCE as modified electrode material for sensitive detection of tartrazine along with its robust reproducibility, stability, and effective sensing properties.

A metal-organic framework (MOF) built on surface-modified Cu nanoparticles eliminates tumors via multiple cascading synergistic therapeutic effects

Tumors produce a hypoxic environment that greatly influences cancer treatment, and conventional chemotherapeutic drugs cannot selectively accumulate in the tumor region because of the lack of a tumor targeting mechanism, causing increased systemic toxicities and side effects. Hence, designing and developing new nanoplatforms that combine multimodal therapeutic regimens is essential to improve tumor therapeutic efficacy. Herein, we report the synthesis of ultrafine Cu nanoparticles loaded with a drug combination of cisplatin (Pt) and 1-methyl-d-tryptophan (1-MT) and externally coated with 5,10,15,20-tetrakis(4-carboxyphenyl)porphyrin (TCPP) photosensitizer, polydopamine (PDA) and CaO2 of MIL-101(Fe) as a new nanoplatform (Cu@MIL-101@PMTPC). The nanoplatform synergistically combined chemodynamic therapy (CDT), photodynamic therapy (PDT), and immunochemotherapy. The Fe3+ in MIL-101(Fe) and the surface Cu nanoparticles exhibited strong ability to consume intracellular glutathione (GSH), thereby generating a Fenton-like response in the tumor microenvironment (TME) with substantial peroxidase (POD)-like and superoxide dismutase (SOD)-like activities. In this design, we used the indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO) inhibitor 1-MT to overcome chemotherapy-induced immune escape phenomena including enhanced CD8+ and CD4+ T cell expression, interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) production, and accelerated immunogenic cell death. The targeted release of cisplatin loaded into Cu@MIL-101@PMTPC also reduced toxic side effects of chemotherapy. TCPP generated a large amount of singlet oxygen (1O2) upon specific laser irradiation to effectively kill tumor cells. CaO2 on the outer layer generated oxygen (O2) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) to ameliorate hypoxia in the tumor microenvironment, enhance the PDT effect, and provide a continuous supply of H2O2 for the Fenton-like reaction. Thus, this nanocarrier platform exhibited a powerful chemodynamic, photodynamic, and immunochemotherapeutic cascade, providing a new strategy for cancer treatment.

Tunable Zeolitic Imidazolate Framework-8 Nanoparticles for Biomedical Applications

Zeolite imidazole framework-8 (ZIF-8) is the most prestigious one among zeolitic imidazolate framework (ZIF) with tunable dimensions and unique morphological features. Utilizing its synthetic adjustability and structural regularity, ZIF-8 exhibits enhanced flexibility, allowing for a wide range of functionalities, such as loading of nanoparticle components while preserving biomolecules activity. Extensive efforts are made from investigating synthesis techniques to develop novel applications over decades. In this review, the development and recent progress of various synthesis approaches are briefly summarized. In addition, its interesting properties such as adjustable porosity, excellent thermal, and chemical stabilities are introduced. Further, five representative biomedical applications are highlighted based on above physicochemical properties. Finally, the remaining challenges and offered insights into the future outlook are also discussed. This review aims to understand the co-relationships between structures and biomedical functionalities, offering the opportunity to construct attractive materials with promising characteristics.

pH-Responsive and Actively Targeted Metal-Organic Framework Structures for Multimodal Antitumor Therapy and Inhibition of Tumor Invasion and Metastasis

Multimodal treatment is an important tool to overcome tumor drug resistance. The reactive oxygen species (ROS) generated by photodynamic therapy (PDT) can directly play a killing role on tumor cells, which has the advantages of repeatable treatment and no drug resistance. However, its therapeutic oxygen consumption and destruction of tumor microvessels lead to hypoxia in tumor tissues, and hypoxia leads to overexpression of the receptor tyrosine kinase (c-MET) and vascular endothelial growth factor receptor (VEGFR). Overexpression of these two receptors leads to increased tumor invasiveness and metastasis. The molecularly targeted drug cabozantinib (CAB) has multiple targets, including anti-c-MET and VEGFR, to inhibit the development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). In this study, our team designed a pH-sensitive nanoparticle CAB/Ce6@ZIF-8@PEG-FA (CCZP) loaded with CAB and Ce6, which exerted a multimodal therapeutic effect of PDT and molecularly targeted therapy by laser irradiation, and the PDT-induced overexpression of MET and VEGFR could also be inhibited by the target of CAB, thus reducing the invasive tumor cells metastasis. In summary, CCZP gives full play to the advantages of both drugs, exerting multimodal treatment while reducing HCC invasion and metastasis, providing a safe, potential approach to clinical treatment.

Engineering liquid metal-based nanozyme for enhancing microwave dynamic therapy in breast cancer PDX model

BACKGROUNDS

The novel concept of microwave dynamic therapy (MDT) solves the problem of incomplete tumor eradication caused by non-selective heating and uneven temperature distribution of microwave thermal therapy (MWTT) in clinic, but the poor delivery of microwave sensitizer and the obstacle of tumor hypoxic microenvironment limit the effectiveness of MDT.

RESULTS

Herein, we engineer a liquid metal-based nanozyme LM@ZIF@HA (LZH) with eutectic Gallium Indium (EGaIn) as the core, which is coated with CoNi-bimetallic zeolite imidazole framework (ZIF) and hyaluronic acid (HA). The flexibility of the liquid metal and the targeting of HA enable the nanozyme to be effectively endocytosed by tumor cells, solving the problem of poor delivery of microwave sensitizers. Due to the catalase-like activity, the nanozyme catalyze excess H2O2 in the tumor microenvironment to generate O2, alleviating the restriction of the tumor hypoxic microenvironment and promoting the production of ROS under microwave irradiation. In vitro cell experiments, the nanozyme has remarkable targeting effect, oxygen production capacity, and microwave dynamic effect, which effectively solves the defects of MDT. In the constructed patient-derived xenograft (PDX) model, the nanozyme achieves excellent MDT effect, despite the heterogeneity and complexity of the tumor model that is similar to the histological and pathological features of the patient. The tumor volume in the LZH + MW group is only about 1/20 of that in the control group, and the tumor inhibition rate is as high as 95%.

CONCLUSION

The synthesized nanozyme effectively solves the defects of MDT, improves the targeted delivery of microwave sensitizers while regulating the hypoxic microenvironment of tumors, and achieves excellent MDT effect in the constructed PDX model, providing a new strategy for clinical cancer treatment.

Nano-engineering nanomedicines with customized functions for tumor treatment applications

Nano-engineering with unique "custom function" capability has shown great potential in solving technical difficulties of nanomaterials in tumor treatment. Through tuning the size and surface properties controllablly, nanoparticles can be endoewd with tailored structure, and then the characteristic functions to improve the therapeutic effect of nanomedicines. Based on nano-engineering, many have been carried out to advance nano-engineering nanomedicine. In this review, the main research related to cancer therapy attached to the development of nanoengineering nanomedicines has been presented as follows. Firstly, therapeutic agents that target to tumor area can exert the therapeutic effect effectively. Secondly, drug resistance of tumor cells can be overcome to enhance the efficacy. Thirdly, remodeling the immunosuppressive microenvironment makes the therapeutic agents work with the autoimmune system to eliminate the primary tumor and then prevent tumor recurrence and metastasis. Finally, the development prospects of nano-engineering nanomedicine are also outlined.

Performance Evaluation of Phenol-Resin-Based Adsorbents for Heat Transformation Applications

Phenol resins (PRs) are considered as relatively inexpensive adsorbents synthesized from agricultural biomass via employing a variety of synthesized procedures. The performance of PR for heat transformation application is not widely investigated. In this regard, the present study aims to evaluate the four PR derivative/refrigerant pairs, namely (i) KOH6-PR/CO2, (ii) SAC-2/HFC, (iii) KOH4-PR/ethanol, and (iv) KOH6-PR/ethanol, for adsorption cooling and adsorption heating applications. Ideal cycle analyses and/or thermodynamic modelling approaches were utilized comprising governing heat and mass balance equations and adsorption equilibrium models. The performance of the AHP system is explored by means of specific cooling energy (SCE), specific heating energy (SHE), and coefficient of performance (COP), both for cooling and heating applications, respectively. It has been realized that KOH6-PR/ethanol could produce a maximum SCE of 1080 kJ/kg/cycle and SHE of 2141 kJ/kg/cycle at a regeneration temperature (Treg) and condenser temperature (Tcond) of 80 °C, and 10 °C, respectively, followed by KOH4-PR/ethanol, SAC-2/HFC-32, and KOH6-PR/CO2. The maximum COP values were estimated to be 1.78 for heating and 0.80 for cooling applications, respectively, at Treg = 80 °C and Tcond = 10 °C. In addition, the study reveals that, corresponding to increase/decrease in condenser/evaporator pressure, both SCE and SHE decrease/increase, respectively; however, this varies in magnitude due to adsorption equilibrium of the studied PR derivative/refrigerant pairs.

Covalent organic framework-supported ultrasmall Rh nanoparticles as peroxidase mimics for colorimetric sensing of cysteine

Covalent organic frameworks (COFs), as a novel porous organic polymer with periodic and highly ordered structure, are ideal carrier matrix for metal nanoparticles due to high specific surface area, good stability, controllable pore size, and structural tunability. In this work, COFs are used as a carrier to in-situ grow ultrasmall rhodium nanoparticles (Rh NPs, ∼2.4 nm), which are uniformly distributed in the pores and on the surfaces of the COFs. The formed composite (COF-Rh) shows excellent peroxidase-mimetic activity benefiting from the good catalytic activity of ultrafine and highly dispersed Rh NPs as well as the high affinity of COFs to organic molecules (i.e., catalytic substrates). Cysteine (Cys) can inhibit the peroxidase-like activity of COF-Rh due to the interaction of -SH in Cys with Rh and the reduction of oxidized peroxidase substrate by Cys. By regulating the peroxidase-like activity of the system, a colorimetric method is successfully developed for Cys detection. Using smartphone as a readout, a portable strategy is further proposed for rapid and visual sensing of Cys.

Recent advances of the core-shell MOFs in tumour therapy

Coordination chemistry has always been vital to explore the material prominence of metal-organic systems. The metal-organic chemistry plays a fundamental role in decisive structural features, which are accountable for tuning the properties of materials. Tumour therapy has become an important research field of medical treatment in the world. Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have attracted extensive interest in medical science research due to their large effective surface area, clear pore network, and critical catalytic performance. Compared with traditional MOF materials, MOF materials with core-shell structures have a higher loading rate and better stability, which can overcome a single function. They have been successfully used in tumour medical research and have excellent prospects for diagnosing and treating various tumours. The current review article thoroughly describes the various synthetic approaches for engineering core-shell MOF materials, the structural types, and the potential functional applications. We also discussed core-shell MOF materials for the various treatment of tumours, such as tumour chemotherapy, tumour phototherapy and tumour microenvironment anti-hypoxia therapy. In this paper, the synthesized procedures of core-shell MOFs and their applications for tumour treatment have been discussed, and their future research has prospected. The current improved strategies, challenges, and prospects are also presented because of the metal-organic chemistry governing the structural modification of core-shell MOFs for tumour therapy applications. Therefore, the present review article opens a new door for medicinal chemists to tune the structural features of the core-shell MOF materials to modulate tumour therapy with simple, low-cost materials for better human lives.