Bioactive Metal-Organic Frameworks as a Distinctive Platform to Diagnosis and Treat Vascular Diseases

Vascular diseases (VDs) pose the leading threat worldwide due to high morbidity and mortality. The detection of VDs is commonly dependent on individual signs, which limits the accuracy and timeliness of therapies, especially for asymptomatic patients in clinical management. Therefore, more effective early diagnosis and lesion-targeted treatments remain a pressing clinical need. Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are porous crystalline materials formed by the coordination of inorganic metal ions and organic ligands. Due to their unique high specific surface area, structural flexibility, and functional versatility, MOFs are recognized as highly promising candidates for diagnostic and therapeutic applications in the field of VDs. In this review, the potential of MOFs to act as biosensors, contrast agents, artificial nanozymes, and multifunctional therapeutic agents in the diagnosis and treatment of VDs from the clinical perspective, highlighting the integration between clinical methods with MOFs is generalized. At the same time, multidisciplinary cooperation from chemistry, physics, biology, and medicine to promote the substantial commercial transformation of MOFs in tackling VDs is called for.