Amino modified metal-organic frameworks as pH-responsive nanoplatforms for safe delivery of camptothecin

MIL-100(Fe) and MIL-101(Fe) metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are excellent vehicles for drug delivery systems (DDSs) due to their high biocompatibility and stability in physiological fluids, as well as their pore diameter in the mesoporous range. Although they are appropriate for the internal diffusion of 20-(S)-camptothecin (CPT), a strongly cytotoxic molecule with excellent antitumor activity, no stable delivery system has been proposed so far for this drug based in MOFs. We here present novel DDSs based in amine functionalized MIL-100(Fe) and MIL-101(Fe) nanoMOFs with covalently bonded CPT. These CPT nanoplatforms are able to incorporate almost 20% of this molecule and show high stability at physiological pH, with no non-specific release. Based on their surface charge, some of these CPT loaded nanoMOFs present improved cell internalization in in vitro experiments. Moreover, a strong response to acid pH is observed, with up to four fold drug discharge at pH 5, which boost intracellular release by endosomolytic activity. These novel DDSs will help to achieve safe delivery of the very cytotoxic CPT, allowing to reduce the therapeutic dose and minimizing drug secondary effects. (C) 2019 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.