Insight into the effect of ZIF-8 on the interaction between drugs and protein/cell

Understanding the impact of nanomaterials on drug-protein/cell interactions is crucial for comprehending their in vivo biological effects. We investigated the impact of zeolitic imidazolate framework (ZIF)-8 on the interaction between curcumin (Cur) and human serum albumin (HSA) using various spectroscopic techniques and molecular docking. Additionally, we examined its effect on drug-cell interaction using HepG2 cells and Escherichia coli (E. coli). The UV-vis spectra and fluorescence results demonstrated the occurrence of an interaction between Cur-HSA and ZIF-8, potentially resulting in the formation of ground-state complexes. ZIF-8 did not alter the static quenching mechanism, interaction force type, and binding stoichiometry between Cur and HSA, but it induced subtle changes in the secondary structure and esterase activity of HSA. Cur predominantly binds in the site I of HSA. Molecular docking analysis confirmed the results. The incorporation of ZIF-8 enhanced the antitumor activity of Cur-HSA and the antibacterial efficacy of ciprofloxacin (CIP)-HSA, while concurrently enhancing the uptake of CIP by E. coli. These results indicate that the influence of ZIF-8 on drug-protein interactions may consequently exert a significant impact on drug efficacy.