Doxorubicin-Loaded Metal–Organic Gels for pH and Glutathione Dual-Responsive Release

Abstract

An emerging class of porous materials known as metal–organic gels (MOGs) has been gaining popularity due to their stability under reduced pressure and sensitivity to varying chemical environment. In this work, MOGs were used for the storage and controlled release of an anticancer drug, doxorubicin (Dox). In acidic pH or high concentration of glutathione, significant release of Dox from Dox-loaded MOGs was observed. In addition, structural integrity of MOGs was disrupted in an acidic or glutathione-containing environment, which was demonstrated by several characterization techniques. In vitro experiments on HeLa cancer cells showed the low toxicity of MOGs and further confirmed triggered drug release of Dox-loaded MOGs. Based on the promising results obtained, Dox-loaded MOGs present a great potential for future drug delivery applications.