Functionalized Eu(III)-based nanoscale metal-organic framework for enhanced targeted anticancer therapy

To improve the cancer targeting and anticancer efficacy, the multifunctional Eu-based metal-organic framework (EuBTC) is post-synthetically modified with a targeting moiety folic acid and a zinc phthalocyanine photosensitizer. In addition, this nanosphere is also applied as a drug delivery system to load the chemical drug doxorubicin. Electron microscopy, powder X-ray diffraction and infrared spectometry demonstrated the formation of these multifunctional nanospheres (DOX). Our nanospheres kept the high singlet oxygen quantum yield of zinc phthalocyanine. Additionally, Cell viability experiments demonstrated the biosafety of EuBTC and the enhanced anticancer effect of DOX@FA-EuBTC-Pc under light irradiation. In short, these well-arranged DOX@FA-Eu-BTC-Pcs exhibit as promising drug delivery systems for enhanced targeted anticancer therapy.