Mild and large-scale synthesis of nanoscale metal-organic framework used as a potential adenine-based drug nanocarrier

Abstract

Nanoscale metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have been a steady growing interest worldwide in biomedical applications, especially in drug carriers. Adenosine, an unstable nucleoside composed of adenine and d-ribose, plays many important biological roles and recently used in many treatments. In this study, Zn-based MOF nanoparticles were successfully synthesized in large-scale by using polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) as a modulator for controlling the particle size, and characterized for efficient incorporation and protection of adenosine. Nano MOF displayed homogeneously polyhedral crystals with particle size smaller than 50 nm. According to X-ray diffraction, N2 isotherm sorption, and thermogravimetric analysis characterizations, the nano material has high crystallinity, high porosity, and stable structure. Moreover, investigation of adenosine encapsulation onto nano MOF showed that the material was a high potential for nanocarrier with high loading capacity up to 833 mg g−1. The kinetics and mechanism studies reveal the adenosine adsorption of MOF fit well with the pseudo‐second‐order model and Langmuir model. The in vitro release profile of the adenosine/nano MOF sample shows the presence of adenosine in phosphate-buffered saline solution, exhibiting the adenosine protection role of the nanocarrier.