Hyaluronic Acid-Protein Conjugate Modified Iron-Based MOFs (MIL-101 (Fe)) for Efficient Therapy of Neuroblastoma: Molecular Simulation, Stability and Toxicity Studies

Iron-based metal-organic frameworks (MIL (101)) have recently gained attention in materials science for biomedical applications. In the present work, Iron-based MOF (MIL-101(Fe)) were coated with lactoferrin (Lf) conjugated with hyaluronic acid (HA) and investigated its potential for delivering 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), along with assessing the toxicity profile. The synthesised nanoparticles were extensively characterised using spectroscopic, X-Ray, thermal and electron microscopic techniques. 5-FU was loaded into MOFs, and the drug-loading efficiency and drug release pattern were studied, along with stability testing in pH and serum protein. The toxicity of MIL-101(Fe) was assessed using both in vitro and in vivo techniques such as the haemolysis assay, cell viability assay and acute and subacute toxicity studies in animals. In silico molecular simulation was done to assess the Lf and Tf interaction. The molecular interaction of Lf with Transferrin (Tf) showed strong molecular interaction and negligible fluctuation in the RMSD (root mean square deviation) values. The MOFs were stable and demonstrated sustained drug release patterns. The in vitro cell studies demonstrated biocompatibility and enhanced cellular internalisation of MOFs. The in vivo toxicity studies supported the in vitro results. The synthesised MOFs demonstrated potential as a targeted delivery platform for cancer targeting.