Hyaluronic Acid Modified 2D Covalent Organic Framework for Targeted and Sustainable Drug Delivery

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Nanotechnology
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Covalent organic frameworks (COFs) possess high surface area and energy, suitable for biomolecule adsorption and cellular delivery.
• The therapeutic applications and efficacy of COFs, particularly in drug delivery, remain underexplored.
• Surface modification is a key strategy to enhance the biocompatibility and targeting of nanomaterials.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a novel drug delivery system using modified COFs for cancer therapy.
• To investigate the cellular uptake and therapeutic efficacy of hyaluronic acid-conjugated COFs.
• To evaluate the antitumor activity of doxorubicin-loaded HA-P nanoparticles against breast cancer cells.

Main Methods:

• Surface modification of perylene-porphyrin based COFs (P) with hyaluronic acid (HA).
• Characterization of HA-P nanoparticles using UV-Vis, FTIR, and fluorescence microscopy.
• Assessment of cellular uptake in CD44-expressing MDA MB231 breast cancer cells.
• Evaluation of antitumor activity of doxorubicin-loaded HA-P nanoparticles in vitro.

Main Results:

• HA modification confirmed by spectroscopic and microscopic analyses.
• Increased cellular uptake of HA-P nanoparticles in MDA MB231 cells with minimal toxicity.
• Significant in vitro antitumor activity of doxorubicin-loaded HA-P nanoparticles, outperforming unmodified COFs and free doxorubicin.
• Effective cancer cell killing observed even at lower doxorubicin concentrations.

Conclusions:

• Hyaluronic acid modification enhances the cellular internalization of COF-based nanoparticles.
• The developed HA-P nanoparticles represent a promising multifunctional drug delivery system for cancer therapy.
• This approach demonstrates superior antitumor efficacy, highlighting the potential of modified COFs in nanomedicine.