Biomedical applications and perspectives of two-dimensional porphyrin-based MOFs

Two-dimensional porphyrin-based metal-organic frameworks (2D Por-MOFs) have emerged as promising candidates in biomedical applications due to their ultrathin morphology, high surface area, tunable electronic properties, and excellent optical characteristics. This review systematically summarizes recent advances in their utilization for cancer therapy, antibacterial treatment, and biosensing. In oncology, 2D Por-MOFs serve as efficient photosensitizers for photodynamic therapy (PDT) by generating reactive oxygen species (ROS) to eradicate tumor cells, while also enabling synergistic therapeutic outcomes through integration with chemodynamic therapy (CDT), chemotherapy, immunotherapy, sonodynamic therapy (SDT), and novel mechanisms such as copper-dependent cell death. For antibacterial applications, these materials enhance ROS production via size engineering, single-atom modification, or nanozyme loading, effectively killing pathogens and promoting wound healing, as well as being incorporated into smart dressings to achieve combined hemostatic and antimicrobial functions. In biosensing, 2D Por-MOFs act as ideal platforms for photoelectrochemical signal transduction or fluorescent probes, facilitating the development of highly sensitive fiber-optic SPR, electrochemical, and fluorescence sensors capable of detecting disease biomarkers, pathogens, small-molecule metabolites, and ions with high sensitivity. Finally, the current challenges and future prospects for the clinical translation of 2D Por-MOFs are discussed.