N-Rich, Polyphenolic Porous Organic Polymer and Its In Vitro Anticancer Activity on Colorectal Cancer

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Nanotechnology
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• N-rich organic materials with polyphenolic groups are crucial for developing advanced biomaterials and drug carriers for cancer therapy.
• Designing porous organic polymers with specific functionalities is key to enhancing therapeutic efficacy.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize and characterize a new triazine-based porous organic polymer, TrzTFPPOP.
• To investigate the in vitro anticancer activity of TrzTFPPOP against human colorectal carcinoma (HCT 116) cells.

Main Methods:

• Synthesis of a triazine-based porous organic polymer (TrzTFPPOP) featuring secondary-amine and imine linkages.
• Characterization of the material's surface area (BET) and porosity (micropores and mesopores).
• Evaluation of in vitro anticancer activity using MTT assay on HCT 116 cell line.

Main Results:

• TrzTFPPOP exhibited a high BET surface area (2140 m² g⁻¹) and hierarchical porosity.
• The material effectively induced apoptotic changes in HCT 116 cells, leading to significant cancer cell destruction.
• The p53-regulated DNA damage pathway was identified as the mechanism of action.
• IC50 value was determined to be 3.25 μg/mL.

Conclusions:

• TrzTFPPOP demonstrates potent in vitro anticancer activity against colorectal cancer cells.
• The material's unique porous structure and functional groups contribute to its efficacy.
• TrzTFPPOP holds promise as a novel therapeutic agent for colon cancer treatment.