A Luminescent Amine-Functionalized Metal–Organic Framework Conjugated with Folic Acid as a Targeted Biocompatible pH-Responsive Nanocarrier for Apoptosis Induction in Breast Cancer Cells

• Published in: ACS applied materials & interfaces Vol. 11; no. 49; pp. 45442 - 45454
• Main Authors: Abazari, Reza, Ataei, Farangis, Morsali, Ali, Slawin, Alexandra M. Z., Carpenter-Warren, Cameron L.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States American Chemical Society 11.12.2019
• Subjects: Amines - chemistry; Apoptosis - drug effects; Biocompatible Materials - chemistry; Biocompatible Materials - pharmacology; Breast Neoplasms - drug therapy; Cell Proliferation - drug effects; Drug Carriers - chemistry; Drug Carriers - pharmacology; Drug Liberation; Female; Fluorouracil - chemistry; Fluorouracil - pharmacology; Folic Acid - chemistry; Humans; Luminescent Agents - chemistry; Luminescent Agents - pharmacology; MCF-7 Cells; Metal-Organic Frameworks - chemistry; Metal-Organic Frameworks - pharmacology; Nanoparticles - chemistry; Reactive Oxygen Species - metabolism; breast cancer cells; wound healing; pH-responsive nanocarrier; targeted design; metal−organic framework
• ISSN: 1944-8244; 1944-8252
• DOI: 10.1021/acsami.9b16473

Folic acid amine-functionalized metal–organic framework (FOLA@NH2-Eu:TMU-62) with luminescent properties loaded with 5-fluorouracil (5-Fu), as an anticancer medication, was used to construct a new cancer targeted drug delivery system in the present study. The 5-Fu release from this targeted carrier along with MTT assay and trypan blue dye exclusion test results also exhibited pH-controlled characteristics of the given carrier in acidic environments, which is very suitable for targeting solid tumors. Then, the inhibitory action of 5-Fu-loaded FOLA@NH2-Eu:TMU-62 for Michigan Cancer Foundation-7 (MCF7) cell migration was explored according to scratch wound healing assays. Based on the results, the FOLA@NH2-Eu:TMU-62 carrier was not toxic for MCF-10A normal cells, but it was significantly toxic for MCF-7 breast cancer ones, revealing that the FOLA@NH2-Eu:TMU-62 carrier could be utilized in accurate cancer treatments through apoptotic pathways with higher reactive oxygen species compared with 5-Fu alone. This cancer-targeted design of FOLA@NH2-Eu:TMU-62 could thus pave the way for synergistic effects of targeting as well as organized release capabilities.