Carbonized chitosan encapsulated hierarchical porous zeolitic imidazolate frameworks nanoparticles for gene delivery

• Published in: Microporous and mesoporous materials Vol. 302; p. 110200
• Main Authors: Abdelhamid, Hani Nasser, Dowaidar, Moataz, Langel, Ülo
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Inc 01.08.2020
• Subjects: Cell-penetrating peptides; Gene delivery; Mesoporous carbon; Metal-organic frameworks; Gene delivery; Cell-penetrating peptides; Metal-organic frameworks; Mesoporous carbon
• ISSN: 1387-1811; 1873-3093; 1873-3093
• DOI: 10.1016/j.micromeso.2020.110200

Hierarchical mesoporous carbon (MPC) nanomaterials derived from the carbonized chitosan (CTS) encapsulated zeolitic imidazolate frameworks (ZIF-8) is synthesized and applied for gene delivery. The synthesis of ZIF-8 is achieved at room temperature using water as a solvent in the presence of CTS within 60 min. The synthesis method offered a hierarchical porous structure of ZIF-8. The carbonization of the prepared materials leads to the formation of MPC nanomaterials. MPC materials were applied as a non-viral vectors for gene delivery using two oligonucleotides (ONs) called Luciferase-expressing plasmid (pGL3), and splice correction oligonucleotides (SCO). The materials are biocompatible and showed insignificant toxicity. The transfection using MPC with and without cell-penetrating peptides (CPPs) was reported. MPC improved the transfection efficiency of CPPs (PepFect 14 (PF-14), and PF-221) by 10 fold due to the synergistic effect of MCP and CPPs. The reasonable mechanism for the cell transfection using these new vectors was also highlighted. [Display omitted] •Encapsulation of chitosan into zeolitic imidazolate frameworks (ZIF-8).•Use chitosan as mesogene for ZIF-8 nanoparticles.•Synthesis of hierarchical mesoporous carbon nanomaterials.•Application of MPC for gene delivery.