Anti-tumor effects of combined doxorubicin and siRNA for pulmonary delivery

Direct administration of drugs and genes to the lungs by pulmonary delivery offers a potential effective therapy for lung cancers.In this study,combined doxorubicin(DOX)and Bcl2 siRNA was employed for cancer therapy using polyethylenimine(PEI)as the carrier of Bcl2 siRNA.Most of the DOX and siRNA possessed high cellular uptake efficiency in B16F10 cells,which was proved by FCM and CLSM analysis. Real-time PCR showed that PEI/Bcl2 siRNA exhibited high gene silencing efficiency with 70% Bcl2 mRNA being knocked down.The combination of DOX and siRNA could enhance the cell proliferation inhibition and the cell apoptosis against B16F10 cells compared to free DOX or PEI/Bcl2 siRNA.Furthermore,the biodistribution of DOX and siRNA via pulmonary administration was studied in mice with B16F10 metastatic lung cancer.The results showed that most of the DOX and siRNA were accumulated in lungs and lasted at least for 3 days,which suggested that combined DOX and siRNA by pulmonary administration may have high anti-tumor effects for metastatic lung cancer treatment in vivo.     

Synthesis of self-assemble pH-responsive cyclodextrin block copolymer for sustained anticancer drug delivery

Well-defined p H-responsive poly(ε-caprolactone)-graft-β-cyclodextrin-graft-poly(2-(dimethylamino)ethylmethacrylate)-co-poly(ethylene glycol) methacrylate amphiphilic copolymers(PCL-g-β-CD-g-P(DMAEMA-co-PEGMA)) were synthesized using a combination of atom transfer radical polymerization(ATRP),ring opening polymerization(ROP) and "click" chemistry.Successful synthesis of polymers was confirmed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy(FTIR),proton nuclear magnetic resonance(1H-NMR),and gel permeation chromatography(GPC).Then,the polymers could selfassemble into micelles in aqueous solution,which was demonstrated by dynamic light scattering(DLS) and transmission electron microscopy(TEM).The p H-responsive self-assembly behavior of these copolymers in water was investigated at different p H values of 7.4 and 5.0 for controlled doxorubicin(DOX) release,and these results revealed that the release rate of DOX could be effectively controlled by altering the p H,and the release of drug loading efficiency(DLE) was up to 88%(W/W).CCK-8 assays showed that the copolymers had low toxicity and possessed good biodegradability and biocompatibility,whereas the DOX-loaded micelles remained with high cytotoxicity for He La cells.Moreover,confocal laser scanning microscopy(CLSM) images revealed that polymeric micelles could actively target the tumor site and the efficient intracellular DOX release from polymeric micelles toward the tumor cells further confirmed the anti-tumor effect.The DOX-loaded micelles could easily enter the cells and produce the desired pharmacological action and minimize the side effect of free DOX.These results successfully indicated that p H-responsive polymeric micelles could be potential hydrophobic drug delivery carriers for cancer targeting therapy with sustained release.     

Codelivery for Paclitaxel and Bcl‐2 Conversion Gene by PHB‐PDMAEMA Amphiphilic Cationic Copolymer for Effective Drug Resistant Cancer Therapy

Antiapoptotic Bcl‐2 protein's upregulated expression is a key reason for drug resistance leading to failure of chemotherapy. In this report, a series of biocompatible amphiphilic cationic poly[(R)‐3‐hydroxybutyrate] (PHB)‐b‐poly(2‐(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate) (PDMAEMA) copolymer, comprising hydrophobic PHB block and cationic PDMAEMA block, is designed to codeliver hydrophobic chemotherapeutic paclitaxel and Bcl‐2 converting gene Nur77/ΔDBD with enhanced stability, due to the micelle formation by hydrophobic PHB segment. This copolymer shows less toxicity but similar gene transfection efficiency to polyethyenimine (25k). More importantly, this codelivery approach by PHB‐PDMAEMA leads to increased drug resistant HepG2/Bcl‐2 cancer cell death, by increased expression of Nur77 proteins in the Bcl‐2 present intracellular mitochondria. This work signifies for the first time that cationic amphiphilic PHB‐b‐PDMAEMA copolymers can be utilized for the drug and gene codelivery to drug resistant cancer cells with high expression of antiapoptosis Bcl‐2 protein and the positive results are encouraging for the further design of codelivery platforms for combating drug resistant cancer cells.     

pH敏感型mPEG-Hz-PLA聚合物纳米载药胶束的制备

以合成的含有腙键的聚乙二醇大分子(mPEG-Hz-OH)为引发剂,以丙交酯为单体引发开环聚合反应,并通过调整投料比,制备出3种不同分子量的含腙键的生物可降解嵌段聚合物(mPEG-Hz-PLA).将腙键引入到聚合物的骨架中,以此构建聚合物胶束并作为pH敏感型纳米药物载体.制备的pH敏感型胶束的CMC值等于或低于5.46×10-4 mg/m L,DLS和TEM显示粒径均小于100 nm,且粒径分布均匀.非pH敏感型胶束在不同pH下的粒径变化不明显,而pH敏感型胶束在酸性环境下(pH=4.0和pH=5.0)胶束粒径出现了明显变化.以阿霉素为模型药物制备了pH敏感型载药胶束,其粒径比空白胶束大(100~200 nm),且粒径分布均匀.药物释放实验表明pH敏感型载药胶束随着释放介质pH降低累积释药量增高.MTT实验表明空白胶束对HeLa细胞和RAW264.7细胞几乎没有抑制作用,而载阿霉素的胶束对2种细胞的抑制作用都随着剂量的增大和时间的延长而增强.     

A pH-Responsive Zwitterionic Polyurethane Prodrug as Drug Delivery System for Enhanced Cancer Therapy

Numerous nanocarriers with excellent biocompatibilities have been used to improve cancer therapy. However, nonspecific protein adsorption of nanocarriers may block the modified nanoparticles in tumor cells, which would lead to inefficient cellular internalization. To address this issue, pH-responsive polyurethane prodrug micelles with a zwitterionic segment were designed and prepared. The micelle consisted of a zwitterionic segment as the hydrophilic shell and the drug Adriamycin (DOX) as the hydrophobic inner core. As a pH-responsive antitumor drug delivery system, the prodrug micelles showed high stability in a physiological environment and continuously released the drug under acidic conditions. In addition, the pure polyurethane carrier was demonstrated to be virtually non-cytotoxic by cytotoxicity studies, while the prodrug micelles were more efficient in killing tumor cells compared to PEG-PLGA@DOX. Furthermore, the DOX cellular uptake efficiency of prodrug micelles was proved to be obviously higher than the control group by both flow cytometry and fluorescence microscopy. This is mainly due to the modification of a zwitterionic segment with PU. The simple design of zwitterionic prodrug micelles provides a new strategy for designing novel antitumor drug delivery systems with enhanced cellular uptake rates.     

Folic Acid Modified Polymeric Micelles for Intravesical Instilled Chemotherapy

In this study,a targeting micellar drug delivery system was developed for intravesical instilled chemotherapy of bladder cancer.The amphiphilic diblock copolymer poly(ε-caprolactone)-block-poly(ethylene glycol) (PCL-b-PEO) with functional amino group (NH2) at the end of PEO block was synthesized.Then the copolymer was conjugated with folic acid (FA) and fluorescein isothiocyannate (FITC) via the PEO-NH2 terminus,and then assembled into micelles with the target moiety and fluorescence labeling.In addition,drug loaded micelles were also fabricated with anticancer drug doxorubicin (DOX) encapsulated in the hydrophobic core.The micelles were characterized in terms of size,drug loaded efficiency and critical micellization concentration (CMC) by means ofDLS,UV and fluorescence spectra.In vitro cellular uptake and cytotoxicity studies showed that FA modified PCL-b-PEO-FA micelles have a greater targeting efficiency to human bladder cancer cell (T-24 cell) compared to PCL-b-PEO-NH2 micelles due to the conjugation of FA on the surface,while no targeting effect to normal tissue originated human embryonic kidney 293 (HEK-293) cells was observed,enabling the micelles a promising drug carrier for intravesical instilled chemotherapy of bladder cancer.     

Integrated Hollow Mesoporous Silica Nanoparticles for Target Drug/siRNA Co‐Delivery

A hollow mesoporous silica nanoparticle (HMSNP) based drug/siRNA co‐delivery system was designed and fabricated, aiming at overcoming multidrug resistance (MDR) in cancer cells for targeted cancer therapy. The as‐prepared HMSNPs have perpendicular nanochannels connecting to the internal hollow cores, thereby facilitating drug loading and release. The extra volume of the hollow core enhances the drug loading capacity by two folds as compared with conventional mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNPs). Folic acid conjugated polyethyleneimine (PEI‐FA) was coated on the HMSNP surfaces under neutral conditions through electrostatic interactions between the partially charged amino groups of PEI‐FA and the phosphate groups on the HMSNP surfaces, blocking the mesopores and preventing the loaded drugs from leakage. Folic acid acts as the targeting ligand that enables the co‐delivery system to selectively bind with and enter into the target cancer cells. PEI‐FA‐coated HMSNPs show enhanced siRNA binding capability on account of electrostatic interactions between the amino groups of PEI‐FA and siRNA, as compared with that of MSNPs. The electrostatic interactions provide the feasibility of pH‐controlled release. In vitro pH‐responsive drug/siRNA co‐delivery experiments were conducted on HeLa cell lines with high folic acid receptor expression and MCF‐7 cell lines with low folic acid receptor expression for comparison, showing effective target delivery to the HeLa cells through folic acid receptor meditated cellular endocytosis. The pH‐responsive intracellular drug/siRNA release greatly minimizes the prerelease and possible side effects of the delivery system. By simultaneously delivering both doxorubicin (Dox) and siRNA against the Bcl‐2 protein into the HeLa cells, the expression of the anti‐apoptotic protein Bcl‐2 was successfully suppressed, leading to an enhanced therapeutic efficacy. Thus, the present multifunctional nanoparticles show promising potentials for controlled and targeted drug and gene co‐delivery in cancer treatment.     

刺激响应共负载药物/基因微载体的制备

合成了聚乙烯亚胺接枝二茂铁(PEI-Fc)两亲聚合物, 采用水包油法制备包埋疏水性抗癌药阿霉素(DOX)的载药胶束, 并利用胶束表面正电荷的PEI链段有效缔合DNA, 获得尺寸合适、 表面带正电荷的阿霉素与基因共负载微载体. 在磷酸盐(PBS)缓冲溶液中, 共负载微载体能够缓慢释放出DOX. 在硝酸铈铵存在下, 二茂铁从疏水性转变为亲水性, 使载药胶束完全解离, 由于PEI-Fc与DNA之间的静电作用, 使基因超分子组装体稳定存在, 显示出很好的氧化响应特性. 细胞培养结果表明, 表面带正电荷的共负载微载体易被HepG2细胞内吞, 并可转染, 且随着DOX的释放逐渐杀死HepG2肝癌细胞, 为安全稳定、 具有刺激响应的药物与基因共负载微载体的制备提供了可行的途径.     

Micellar Nanocarriers Assembled from Doxorubicin‐Conjugated Amphiphilic Macromolecules (DOX–AM)

Amphiphilic macromolecules (AMs) have unique branched hydrophobic domains attached to linear PEG chains. AMs self‐assemble in aqueous solution to form micelles that are hydrolytically stable in physiological conditions (37 °C, pH 7.4) over 4 weeks. Evidence of AM biodegradability was demonstrated by complete AM degradation after 6 d in the presence of lipase. Doxorubicin (DOX) was chemically conjugated to AMs via a hydrazone linker to form DOX–AM conjugates that self‐assembled into micelles in aqueous solution. The conjugates were compared with DOX‐loaded AM micelles (i.e., physically loaded DOX) on DOX content, micellar sizes and in vitro cytotoxicity. Physically encapsulated DOX loading was higher (12 wt.‐%) than chemically bound DOX (6 wt.‐%), and micellar sizes of DOX‐loaded AMs (≈16 nm) were smaller than DOX–AMs (≈30 nm). In vitro DOX release from DOX–AM conjugates was faster at pH 5.0 (100%) compared to pH 7.4 (78%) after 48 h, 37 °C. Compared to free DOX and physically encapsulated DOX, chemically bound DOX had significantly higher cytotoxicity at 10^?7 M DOX dose against human hepatocellular carcinoma cells after 72 h. Overall, DOX–AM micelles showed promising characteristics as stable, biodegradable DOX nanocarriers.

     

Dendritic polyurethane-based prodrug as unimolecular micelles for precise ultrasound-activated localized drug delivery

Ultrasound has been recognized as an exciting tool to enhance the therapeutic efficacy in tumor chemotherapy owing to the triggered drug release, facilitated intracellular drug delivery, and improved spatial precision. Aiming for a precise localized drug delivery, novel dendritic polyurethane-based prodrug (DOX-DPU-PEG) was fabricated with a drug content of 18.9% here by conjugating DOX onto the end groups of the functionalized dendritic polyurethane via acid-labile imine bonds. It could easily form unimolecular micelles around 38 nm. Compared with the non-covalently drug-loaded unimolecular micelles (DOX@Ph-DPU-PEG), they showed excellent pH/ultrasound dual-triggered drug release performance, with drug leakage of only 4% at pH 7.4, but cumulative release of 14% and 88% at pH 5.0 without and with ultrasound, respectively. The ultrasound responsiveness was attributed to the unique strawberry-shaped topological structure of the DOX-DPU-PEG, in which DOX was embedded in the skin layer of the hydrophobic DPU cores. With ultrasound, the DOX-DPU-PEG unimolecular micelles possessed enhanced tumor growth inhibition than free DOX but showed no obvious cytotoxicity on the tumor cells without ultrasound. Such feature makes them promising potential for precise localized drug delivery.     

A Biodegradable Polymersome Containing Bcl‐xL siRNA and Doxorubicin as a Dual Delivery Vehicle for a Synergistic Anticancer Effect

Combined cancer treatment via co‐delivery of siRNAs and an anticancer drug can be a promising strategy due to the synergistic effect of simultaneously minimizing gene/drug administration. In this study, Bcl‐xL siRNA and doxorubicin (DOX) are encapsulated into designed methoxy‐poly(ethylene glycol)‐block‐poly(D ,L ‐lactic acid) (mPEG‐b‐PLA) block copolymer polymersomes (PSomes). A study of the cytotoxicity of Bcl‐xL siRNA and DOX co‐encapsulated PSomes (CPSomes) shows more inhibited proliferation of MKN‐45 and MKN‐28 human gastric cancer cell lines than only gene‐ and drug‐loaded ones. Consequently, these results demonstrate that co‐delivery of genes and drugs using PSomes results in a synergistic efficacy and indicates the potential of PSomes as efficient nanocarriers for combined cancer therapy.

     

pH‐sensitive carbon quantum dots−doxorubicin nanoparticles for tumor cellular targeted drug delivery

A kind of pH‐responsive carbon quantum dots?doxorubicin nanoparticles drug delivery platform (D‐Biotin/DOX‐loaded mPEG‐OAL/N‐CQDs) was designed and synthesized. The system consists of fluorescent carbon dots as cross‐linkers, and D‐Biotin worked as targeting groups, which made the system have a pH correspondence, doxorubicin hydrochloride (DOX) as the target drug, oxidized sodium alginate (OAL) as carrier materials. Ultraviolet (UV)‐Vis spectrum showed that the drug‐loading rate of DOX is 10.5%, and the drug release in vitro suggested that the system had a pH response and tumor cellular targeted, the drug release rate is 65.6% at the value of pH is 5.0, which is much higher than that at the value of pH is 7.4. The cytotoxicity test and laser confocal fluorescence imaging showed that the synthesized drug delivery system has high cytotoxicity to cancer cells, and the drug‐loaded nanoparticles could enter the cells through endocytosis.     

Theranostic hyaluronic acid prodrug micelles with aggregation-induced emission characteristics for targeted drug delivery

Theranostic hyaluronic acid (HA) prodrug micelles with pH-responsive drug release and aggregation-induced emission (AIE) properties were prepared by chemical graft of biomimetic phosphorylcholine (PC), anticancer drug doxorubicin (DOX) and AIE fluorogen tetraphenylene (TPE) to the HA backbone. DOX was conjugated to the HA backbone by a hydrazone bond which can be hydrolyzed under acidic environment and result in pH-triggered smart release of DOX. The TPE units with typical AIE characteristics were applied for real time drug tracking in cancer cells. The HA-based prodrugs could self-assemble into micelles in aqueous solution as confirmed by the dynamic light scattering (DLS) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The intracellular distribution of HA prodrug micelles could be clearly observed by fluorescence microscopy based on the strong fluorescence of TPE. Moreover, after treated with the micelles, stronger fluorescence of TPE in CD44 overexpressed MDA-MB-231 cancer cells was observed, compared to the CD44 negative cell line, NIH3T3 cells, suggesting efficient cell uptake of HA prodrug micelles by receptor-mediated endocytosis. The cell viability results indicated that the prodrug micelles could inhibit the proliferation of the cancer cells effectively. Such pH-triggered theranostic drug delivery system with AIE features can provide a new platform for targeted and image-guided cancer therapy.     

Drug Self‐Delivery Systems Based on Hyperbranched Polyprodrugs towards Tumor Therapy

Amphiphilic hyperbranched polyprodrugs (DOX‐S‐S‐PEG) with drug repeat units in hydrophobic core linked by disulfide bonds were developed as drug self‐delivery systems for cancer therapy. The hydroxyl groups and the amine group in doxorubicin (DOX) were linked by 3,3′‐dithiodipropanoic acid as hydrophobic hyperbranched cores, then amino‐terminated polyethylene glycol monomethyl ether (mPEG‐NH₂) as hydrophilic shell was linked to hydrophobic cores to form amphiphilic and glutathione (GSH)‐responsive micelle of hyperbranched polyprodrugs. The amphiphilic micelles can be disrupted under GSH (1 mg mL^?1) circumstance. Cell viability of A549 cells and 293T cells was evaluated by CCK‐8 and Muse Annexin V & Dead Cell Kit. The disrupted polyprodrugs maintained drug activity for killing tumor cells. Meanwhile, the undisrupted polyprodrugs possessed low cytotoxicity to normal cells. The cell uptake experiments showed that the micelles of DOX‐S‐S‐PEG were taken up by A549 cells and distributed to cell nuclei. Thus, the drug self‐delivery systems with drug repeat units in hydrophobic cores linked by disulfide bonds showed significant special advantages: 1) facile one‐pot synthesis; 2) completely without toxic or non‐degradable polymers; 3) DOX itself functions as fluorescent labeled molecule and self‐delivery carrier; 4) drug with inactive form in hyperbranched cores and low cytotoxicity to normal cells. These advantages make them excellent drug self‐delivery systems for potential high efficient cancer therapy.     

Polymeric micelleplexes for improved photothermal endosomal escape and delivery of siRNA

Effective endosomal escape is required for practical application of nucleic acid therapeutics. In this study, we prepared siRNA micelleplexes with photothermally triggered endosomal escape and improved gene silencing activity in vitro. The micelleplexes were prepared from cholesterol‐modified and CXCR4‐inhibiting poly(amido amine)s (PAMD‐Ch). Near‐infrared dye IR780 was encapsulated in cationic PMAD‐Ch micelles, which then were used to form IR780 micelleplexes with siRNA. The micelleplexes displayed improved gene silencing efficiency upon laser irradiation, which was attributed to enhanced endosomal escape because of the photothermal effects of the encapsulated IR780. The IR780 micelleplexes retained the CXCR4 antagonism and inhibition of cancer cell invasion of the parent PAMD. Overall, this study validates codelivery of IR780 in siRNA micelleplexes as promising photothermally controlled siRNA delivery approach.     

荧光标记pH敏感胶束的制备及其药物控释

利用原子转移自由基聚合方法（ATRP）合成了pH敏感的两亲性嵌段共聚物mPEG-b-PDPA_n（聚合度n=100-200）及荧光修饰的嵌段聚合物异硫氰酸荧光素-聚乙二醇-聚N,N-二异丙胺基甲基丙烯酸乙酯（FITCPEG₄₅-PDPA₁₀₀）。采用溶剂挥发的方法制备胶束,此胶束呈现均一的球形分布,平均粒径180-240 nm（0.3 mg·mL^-1）。以阿霉素（DOX）为模拟药物,其胶束载药量约11%（w,质量分数）左右,外环境pH对载药胶束的粒径和体外释放行为有显著影响。在弱酸环境下,胶束核质子化发生膨胀甚至解体,在2-3 h内药物可释放80%左右。体外毒性试验表明,空白胶束与人类肝癌细胞（Huh7）有良好的生物相容性。同时,与此细胞共同孵育5 h的荧光聚合物胶束体现了较好的转染效果。因此,这类荧光标记胶束可能会为实时跟踪化疗药物的输送或分布打开新的视角。     

A Biomimetic Coordination Nanoplatform for Controlled Encapsulation and Delivery of Drug–Gene Combinations

Inspired by natural biomineralization processes, a simple and universal strategy is introduced to construct a biomimetic nanoplatform for systemic codelivery of a nucleic acid therapeutic (G3139) and a chemotherapeutic drug doxorubicin (DOX). This codelivery system was synthesized through one‐pot supramolecular self‐assembly of G3139, DOX, and Fe^II ions through multiple coordination interactions, followed by an adapted surface mineralization with metal–organic frameworks. The resulting core–shell nanoparticles have uniform size, well‐defined nanosphere structure, robust colloidal stability, ultrahigh drug loading efficiency and capacity, and precisely adjustable ratios of two therapeutic agents. The system can efficiently accumulate in the tumor, allowing for sensitive MRI detection and synergistical inhibition of tumor growth without apparent systemic toxicity.     

Grafted copolymer micelles with pH triggered charge reversibility for efficient doxorubicin delivery

The instability and premature charge reversal at pH 7.4 have become the major limitations of charge‐reversal delivery systems. To address this problem, graft copolymer of poly(butylene succinate)‐g‐cysteamine‐bi‐poly(ethylene glycol) (PBS‐g‐CS‐bi‐PEG, bi = benzoic imine bond) was designed and synthesized through facile thiol‐ene click reaction and subsequent Schiff's base reaction. Then, PBS‐g‐CS‐bi‐PEG and carboxyl‐functionalized polyester of poly(butylene succinate)‐g‐3‐mercaptopropionic acid (PBS‐g‐MPA) co‐assemble in aqueous solution to give PEG shell‐sheddable charge‐reversal micelles with sizes of 85–103 nm and low polydispersity of 0.11–0.12. Interestingly, the PBS‐g‐MPA/CS‐bi‐PEG micelles could sensitively and arbitrarily switch their surface charges between negative and positive status in response to pH fluctuation via reversible protonation and deprotonation of carboxyl and amino groups, which endows the desired stability of co‐assembly micelles either during long‐term storage or under physiological conditions. Doxorubicin (DOX) was loaded into PBS‐g‐MPA/CS‐bi‐PEG micelles with a high drug‐loading content of 10.2% and entrapment efficiency of 68% as a result of electrostatic attraction. In vitro release studies revealed that less than 25% of DOX was released within 24 h in the environment mimicking the physiological condition, whereas up to 81% of DOX was released in 24 h under weak‐acid condition resembling microenvironment in endosome/lysosome. In vitro cytotoxicity study suggested that blank PBS‐g‐MPA/CS‐bi‐PEG micelles possessed excellent biocompatibility, while DOX‐loaded PBS‐g‐MPA/CS‐bi‐PEG micelles showed significant cytotoxicity with half‐maximal inhibitory concentration (IC₅₀) of 1.55–1.67 μg DOX equiv/mL. This study provides a facile and effective approach for the preparation of novel charge‐reversal micelles with switchable charges and excellent biocompatibility, which are highly promising to be used as safe nanocarriers for efficient intracellular drug delivery. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2017 , 55, 2036–2046     

壳聚糖基阳离子胶束用于共负载两种不同性质药物的研究

以季胺化壳聚糖-O-聚己内酯(TMC-PCL)胶束为载体,用于共负载2种不同亲疏水性质的抗肿瘤物质,阿霉素和吲哚菁绿;并研究了胶束包埋对吲哚菁绿的稳定性和光热效应的影响,以及阿霉素从胶束中的释放行为.结果表明,2种抗肿瘤物质在TMC-PCL胶束中的实际载药量均可达20％,且包封率超过85％.进一步还用MTT法评价了不同载药胶束体系对肿瘤细胞的杀灭作用,发现共负载胶束经近红外激光辐照后,对肿瘤细胞的毒性远高于单载药体系.     

Metal–organic frameworks as efficient materials for drug delivery: Synthesis,characterization, antioxidant,anticancer, antibacterial and molecular docking investigation

Metal–organic framework (MOF) nano particles are a class of promising porous nano materials for biomedical applications. Owing to its high loading potential and pH-sensitive degradation, most promising of the MOFs is the zeolitic imidazolate crystal framework (ZIF-8), a progressive useful material for small molecule distribution. Doxorubicin (DOX), designated as a classical drug, was jobwise entrapped in ZIF-8 nano particles. ZIF-8 nano particles, as a novel carrier, were used to monitor the release of the anticancer drug DOX and prevent it from dissipating before reaching its goal. ZIF-8 nano particles with encapsulated DOX (DOX@ZIF-8) can be synthesized in a single pot by incorporation of DOX into the reaction mixture. MOFs and the designed drug delivery (DOX@ZIF-8) system were characterized by Fourier transfer infrared, scanning electron microscopy, N₂ sorption isotherm and X-ray diffraction. The impact of MOFs and the engineered drug delivery system on the viability of human breast and liver cancer cell lines was evaluated. The loaded drug was released at pH 5 faster than at pH 7.4. The nano particles of ZIF-8 showed low cytotoxicity, while DOX@ZIF-8 showed high cytotoxicity to HepG-2 and MCF-7 cells compared with free DOX at the equivalent concentration of DOX of >12.5 μg/ml. These findings indicate that DOX@ZIF-8 nano particles are a promising method for the delivery of cancer cells to drugs. Furthermore, ZIF-8, DOX and encapsulated DOX@ZIF-8 compounds were screened for their potential antibacterial activities against pathogenic bacteria compared with standard antibiotics by the agar well diffusion technique. The results demonstrate that the DOX@ZIF-8 exhibits a strong inhibition zone against Gram-negative strains (Escherichia coli) in comparison with the reference drug gentamycin. The docking active site interactions were evaluated to predict the binding between DOX with the receptor of breast cancer 3hb5-oxidoreductase and liver cancer 2h80-lipid binding protein for anticancer activity.