A drug-loaded nanoscale metal-organic framework with a tumor targeting agent for highly effective hepatoma therapy.

Drug delivery systems with targeting agents for precise drug release in cancer therapy are very significant and important. Herein, we report the rational design and synthesis of a DOX (doxorubicin) loaded UiO-68-type of nanoscale metal-organic framework (NMOF) with a tumor targeting agent (folic acid, FA), DOX@UiO-68-FA (3), as a multifunctional drug delivery system for hepatoma (Hep G2) therapy via tail-vein injection. Compared to free DOX, FA-unloaded DOX@Mi-UiO-68 (2), 3 exhibits a much higher antitumor efficacy, which was confirmed by cell imaging, standard 3-(4,5-dimethylthiahiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) proliferation and in vivo experiments.