Multifunctional CD-MOF Hybrid Systems: Integrating Drug Delivery, Photothermal Therapy, and Nanozyme Applications

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Nanotechnology
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Developing multifunctional platforms for combined therapeutic and catalytic applications is challenging.
• Existing systems often lack stability, controlled release, or integrated functionalities.
• Cyclodextrin-based metal-organic frameworks (CD-MOFs) offer a versatile scaffold for material integration.

Purpose of the Study:

• To engineer a hybrid platform integrating gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) and a lipid bilayer into CD-MOFs.
• To achieve enhanced aqueous stability, responsive photothermal behavior, and controlled release of hydrophobic compounds.
• To combine therapeutic and catalytic functionalities within a single, modular system.

Main Methods:

• Sequential surface engineering of CD-MOFs with a fluorocarbon layer and a dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC) lipid bilayer.
• Incorporation of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) for photothermal and catalytic properties.
• Characterization of colloidal stability, encapsulation efficiency, release kinetics, photothermal response, and catalytic activity across a pH range.

Main Results:

• The hybrid platform demonstrated improved colloidal stability and structure retention in aqueous conditions.
• Efficient loading of compounds and rapid photothermal response upon near-infrared (NIR) irradiation were confirmed.
• The system exhibited robust peroxidase-like catalytic activity across a broad pH range, outperforming natural enzymes under harsh conditions.

Conclusions:

• The developed modular CD-MOF-based architecture successfully integrates therapeutic and catalytic functions.
• The hybrid platform shows significant potential for targeted therapy, controlled release systems, and bioinspired catalysis.
• Rational design and facile fabrication enable versatile applications in advanced biomedical and catalytic fields.