Biocompatible surface modifications of the ZIF-8 metal-organic framework for use as drug delivery systems

• Grant number: 19/14124-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Doctorate
• Effective date (Start): October 21, 2019
• Effective date (End): October 20, 2020
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Pharmacy - Pharmaceutical Technology
• Principal Investigator: Marlus Chorilli
• Grantee: Gilmar Hanck da Silva
• Supervisor: Patricia Horcajada Cortés
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas (FCFAR). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Araraquara. Araraquara , SP, Brazil
• Research place: Instituto Madrileño de Estudios Avanzados em Energía (IMDEA-Energía), Spain
• Associated to the scholarship: 18/17672-5 - Evaluation of the potential of gallic acid encapsulated in metal-organic frameworks funcionalized with cetuximabe in the treatment of Prostate Cancer, BP.DR

Abstract

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are a class of highly porous materials that offer many opportunities for applications, including biology and medicine, highlighting as promising drug delivery systems (DDS) due to their great variability of compositions (metals, organic linkers), structural diversity (pore size, topologies) and high encapsulation capabilities of different active ingredients. In addition, these physicochemical characteristics allow surface modifications that could minimize their interaction with the bulk, improving the stability and solubility, promoting the physiological barriers cross, or the deliver to the target site of organism. The surface functionalization process of the MOFs can be performed by two strategies: (1) grafting, where the molecule is covalently conjugated to the MOF; and (2) adsorption, where the molecule is adhered to the surface of the MOF via noncovalent interactions. For this, some biofunctional agents can be used, such as cetuximab (CTX) and transferrin (Tf). CTX and Tf have been used as biopharmaceuticals and coating in DDS for the treatment of several types of cancer by selectivity cancer cells that overexpress some receptors such as epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and transferrin receptor (TfR), respectively. In this context, this project aims to promote surface modifications to conjugate different biofunctional agents into the external surface of nanoscaled MOFs (nanoMOFs) for further evaluation in vitro and in vivo models for the treatment of prostate cancer. (AU)