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Supramolecular Organic Frameworks: Exploring Water-Soluble, Regular Nanopores for Biomedical Applications
Zhan-Ting Li1,2, Shang-Bo Yu2, Yamin Liu1
1Department of Chemistry, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Molecular Catalysis and Innovative Materials, Fudan University, 2205 Songhu Road, Shanghai 200438, China.
Accounts of Chemical Research
|August 2, 2022
Summary
Water-soluble diamondoid supramolecular organic frameworks (dSOFs) offer a novel solution for drug delivery and antidote applications. These porous nanostructures demonstrate biocompatibility and potential for enhanced therapeutic outcomes in various biomedical contexts.
Area of Science:
- Supramolecular Chemistry
- Materials Science
- Nanotechnology
- Biomedical Engineering
Background:
- Traditional porous materials face challenges in biomedical applications due to their solid-state nature, leading to issues like slow degradation and accumulation.
- The development of water-soluble porous architectures is crucial for overcoming these limitations and enabling effective in-body applications.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and characterize water-soluble 3D diamondoid supramolecular organic frameworks (dSOFs) for biomedical applications.
- To investigate the guest inclusion capabilities and biofunctions of dSOFs as drug carriers and antidotes.
Main Methods:
- Construction of dSOFs using tetratopic components and cucurbit[8]uril (CB[8]) via hydrophobically driven encapsulation in water.
- Characterization of dSOF porosity, size, and stability using solution-phase synchrotron SAXS, XRD, and dynamic light scattering (DLS).
- Evaluation of dSOF biofunctions through guest inclusion studies with drugs, photodynamic agents (PDAs), and DNA, and assessment of their efficacy in preclinical models.
Main Results:
- dSOFs exhibit regular nanoscale porosity in aqueous solution with pore sizes from 2.1 to 3.6 nm.
- These frameworks demonstrate rapid inclusion of various guests, including drugs and DNA, driven by electrostatic attraction and hydrophobicity.
- dSOFs effectively neutralized heparin's anticoagulant activity, alleviated phototoxicity of PDAs, and enhanced antitumor drug efficacy by overcoming multidrug resistance.
Conclusions:
- Water-soluble dSOFs represent a promising class of supramolecular materials with intrinsic nanoscale porosity.
- Their ability to encapsulate bioactive molecules enables diverse biomedical applications, including targeted drug delivery and antidote development.
- dSOFs show significant potential for future therapeutic benefits due to their biocompatibility and tailored functionalities.
