Chinese Journal of Tissue Engineering Research ›› 2025, Vol. 29 ›› Issue (16): 3476-3485.doi: 10.12307/2025.413

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Strategies and development of photothermal and photodynamic synergistic therapy of metal-organic frameworks

Chen Xiaoxuan, Pei Xibo, Gai Kuo, Wan Qianbing   

  1. National Key Laboratory of Oral Disease Prevention and Control, National Center for Stomatology, National Clinical Medical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Department of Prosthodontics of West China School of Stomatology of Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan Province, China 
  • Received:2024-03-22 Accepted:2024-04-28 Online:2025-06-08 Published:2024-09-06
  • Contact: Wan Qianbing, MD, Professor, National Key Laboratory of Oral Disease Prevention and Control, National Center for Stomatology, National Clinical Medical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Department of Prosthodontics of West China School of Stomatology of Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan Province, China
  • About author:Chen Xiaoxuan, National Key Laboratory of Oral Disease Prevention and Control, National Center for Stomatology, National Clinical Medical Research Center for Oral Diseases, Department of Prosthodontics of West China School of Stomatology of Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan Province, China
  • Supported by:
    Sichuan Provincial Science and Technology Plan Project, No. 2023ZYD0109 (to PXB)

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Metal-organic framework is an emerging porous material composed of metal nodes and organic ligands. Metal-organic frameworks can be both intrinsic photodynamic or photothermal and modified by photothermal agents or photosensitizers. Upon light irradiation, phototherapy effects are exerted through production of reactive oxygen species or rise in temperature, which is widely applied to antitumor and antibacterial treatments. When metal-organic frameworks possess both of above phototherapeutic effects, they can exert a synergistic therapeutic effect to compensate for the shortcomings of using a single phototherapy method. 
OBJECTIVE: To summarize recent proposed photodynamic-thermal synergistic strategies according to different structures of metal-organic frameworks, to provide new insights into the structural design, functionalization, and clinical scenarios of combined therapy metal-organic frameworks. 
METHODS: Using “metal-organic frameworks, photodynamic therapy, photothermal therapy” as Chinese search terms and “metal-organic frameworks, photodynamic therapy, photothermal therapy, phototherapy” as English search terms, articles were searched on PubMed, Web of Science, ScienceDirect, CNKI, and WanFang databases. Finally, 76 articles were included for review. 
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: (1) The combination of photothermal and photodynamic therapy has been shown to exert a synergistic effect. (2) Current strategies for combined photothermal and photodynamic therapy predominantly involve the modifying of metal-organic frameworks to impart photothermal and photodynamic properties, encapsulating phototherapeutic agents within metal-organic frameworks, forming core-shell structures with phototherapeutic agents and metal-organic frameworks, in-situ reduction of phototherapeutic agents within metal-organic frameworks, adhering phototherapeutic agents to metal-organic framework surfaces, and unique modification methods like pyrolyzing metal-organic frameworks to form metal-organic frameworks-derived carbon materials. (3) To construct metal-organic framework structures for specific phototherapy, it is essential to comprehensively consider the type, size, and binding of the phototherapeutic agents and metal-organic frameworks, and select different synthesis strategies accordingly. Encapsulation is a straightforward synthesis approach but is only suitable for small-sized phototherapeutic agents. Core-shell structures are stable, but their synthesis process is relatively complex. In situ reduction does not impose special restrictions on the size of phototherapeutic agents, but it is challenging to precisely control the growth of the phototherapeutic agents within the metal-organic frameworks. Surface attachment offers a simple synthesis step, but it cannot prevent the early aggregation and quenching of phototherapeutic agents. Surface attachment requires stringent conditions and can only be implemented with specific metal-organic frameworks. (4) The existing photothermal and photodynamic combined therapy approaches have been primarily applied in antimicrobial and antitumor treatments, demonstrating remarkable efficacy. The specific applications are related to the properties of the phototherapeutic agents and metal-organic frameworks. A minority of applications extend to rheumatoid arthritis and anticoagulation thrombolysis treatments, indicating a broad potential application scope. (5) The clinical translation of photothermal and photosensitizing agents is currently in its nascent stage, facing key challenges that include the evaluation of biocompatibility and biosafety, optimization of laser irradiation parameters, and the development of efficient methods for large-scale synthesis.

Key words: metal-organic framework, photothermal therapy, photodynamic therapy, synergistic therapy, antimicrobial, anti-tumor, core-shell structure, encapsulation, in situ reduction

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