Coordination-Driven Programming of MOF Stability via Targeting Protein Corona Engineering for Hypoxia-Relieving Sonodynamic Therapy

Abstract

Zr-based metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) are promising nanomedicine platforms, but their rapid degradation in phosphate-rich biological environments remains a critical barrier to clinical translation. Here, incorporating MnOx into the porphyrinic Zr-MOF PCN-224 modulates the coordination environment of Zr6 clusters, suppressing phosphate-induced linker displacement and extending structural integrity under physiological conditions. The optimized 1:1 MnOx@PCN-224 formulation resists phosphate-triggered disassembly and porphyrin release in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS). MnOx also acts as a catalase mimic, converting endogenous H2O2 into O2 to relieve tumor hypoxia and potentiate sonodynamic therapy (SDT). Under high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) irradiation, stabilized porphyrin linkers generate enhanced 1O2 levels. Functionalization with GST-EGFR as a preadsorbed targeting protein corona enables tumor-specific delivery, and the resulting nanoplatform suppresses tumor growth in a 4T1 breast tumor model. This coordination-driven strategy transforms the inherent lability of Zr-MOFs into a designable parameter for engineering biointerface stability for in vivo therapeutic applications.