Ultrasound-assisted synthesis of a new nanostructured Ca(II)-MOF as 5-FU delivery system to inhibit human lung cancer cell proliferation, migration, invasion and induce cell apoptosis

A new porous metal-organic framework material, {Ca-3(TATAB)(2) (H2O)(MeOH)}(DMF)(3)}(n) (1, TATAB(3-) = 4,4 ',4 "-s-triazine-1,3,5-triyltri-p-aminobenzoate), with considerable biocompatibility was synthesized by reaction of the Ca(NO3)(2) and the H(3)TATAB ligand in DMF/MeOH solution. Nanostructure 1 can also be prepared by sonochemical process at ambient temperature. Nitrogen adsorption measurements revealed the presence of micropores as well as moderately high BET surface areas in the activated nanostructured 1 (1a). The incorporation of the drug 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) into 1a was 38.6 wt% per gram of 1a. 5-FU is released in a highly controlled and progressive fashion with 88.7% of the drug released after 72 h. The CCK8 assay was performed to evaluate the inhibitory effect of 5-FU@1a on NCI-H292 and NCI-H460 human lung cancer cells, and the transwell assay was conducted to observe the migration and invasion ability of cancer cells after 5-FU@1a treatment. The Annexin V-FITC/PI assay was carried out to evaluate the level of cancer cell apoptosis. The results above indicate 5-FU@1a has excellent anticancer activity in vitro. The in vivo xenograft model was applied, and the results suggested 5-FU@1a could reduce the volume and the weight of the tumor in vivo.