Synthesis of Monodisperse ZIF-67@CuSe@PVP Nanoparticles for pH-Responsive Drug Release and Photothermal Therapy

In recent years, the combination treatment of chemotherapy and photothermal therapy (PTT) has emerged as an efficient approach to improve anticancer activity. Here, we combine zeolitic imidazolate framework-67 (ZIF-67) and CuSe to build a multifunctional therapeutic platform (ZIF-67@CuSe@PVP) with an efficient chemo-photothermal therapy for cancer treatment. ZIF-67@CuSe@PVP nanoparticles were characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), dynamic light scattering (DLS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), UV–vis, Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR), and nitrogen adsorption–desorption isotherms. These nanoparticles exhibited excellent pH-responsive doxorubicin hydrochloride (DOX) releases due to the decomposition of ZIF-67 and excellent photothermal conversion efficiency (36%) without apparent deterioration during three cycles. In vivo biodistribution evaluation revealed the passive tumor-targeting ability of ZIF-67@CuSe@PVP@DOX via the enhanced permeability and retention (EPR) effect. Both in vitro and in vivo data demonstrated excellent anticancer efficacy of ZIF-67@CuSe@PVP in tumor-bearing mice. This multifunctional therapeutic platform could have certain clinical application potential.