Nanoscale metal-organic frameworks (nMOFs) have emerged as a novel class of nanomaterials for cancer therapy owing to their compositional and structural tunability, porosity, biocompatibility, and biodegradability. Photodynamic therapy (PDT) combines non-toxic photosensitizers, light, and tissue oxygen to cause localized tumor destruction. PDT is minimally invasive and complements to other mainstream cancer treatments. We have developed a series of nMOFs constructed from Hf based secondary building units (SBUs) and porphyrin- or chlorin-based ligands to enable highly effective PDT against cancer. The enhanced PDT efficacy of nMOFs is attributed to the isolation of photosensitizers that prevents self-quenching, the coordination to the heavy metal ions that enhances intersystem crossing, and the facilitated <sup>1</sup>O<sub>2</sub> diffusion due to the unique nanostructures. We further demonstrated that the synergistic combination of nMOF- enabled PDT and checkpoint blockade immunotherapy can effectively reject local and distant tumors in colorectal and other cancer models.

Nanoscale metal-organic frameworks for photodynamic therapy and immunotherapy

254th National Meeting (2017)

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