Volume 134, Issue 46 e202208685
Zuschrift

Monte Carlo Simulation-Guided Design of a Thorium-Based Metal–Organic Framework for Efficient Radiotherapy-Radiodynamic Therapy

Ziwan Xu

Ziwan Xu

Department of Chemistry, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL-60637 USA

These authors contributed equally to this work.

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Taokun Luo

Taokun Luo

Department of Chemistry, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL-60637 USA

These authors contributed equally to this work.

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Jianming Mao

Jianming Mao

Department of Chemistry, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL-60637 USA

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Caroline McCleary

Caroline McCleary

Department of Chemistry, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL-60637 USA

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Eric Yuan

Eric Yuan

Department of Chemistry, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL-60637 USA

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Prof. Dr. Wenbin Lin

Corresponding Author

Prof. Dr. Wenbin Lin

Department of Chemistry, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL-60637 USA

Department of Radiation and Cellular Oncology and Ludwig Center for Metastasis Research, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL-60637 USA

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First published: 23 September 2022
Citations: 1

Abstract

High-Z metal-based nanoscale metal–organic frameworks (nMOFs) with photosensitizing ligands can enhance radiation damage to tumors via a unique radiotherapy-radiodynamic therapy (RT-RDT) process. Here we report Monte Carlo (MC) simulation-guided design of a Th-based nMOF built from Th6-oxo secondary building units and 5,15-di(p-benzoato)porphyrin (DBP) ligands, Th-DBP, for enhanced RT-RDT. MC simulations revealed that the Th-lattice outperformed the Hf-lattice in radiation dose enhancement owing to its higher mass attenuation coefficient. Upon X-ray or γ-ray radiation, Th-DBP enhanced energy deposition, generated more reactive oxygen species, and induced significantly higher cytotoxicity to cancer cells over the previously reported Hf-DBP nMOF. With low-dose X-ray irradiation, Th-DBP suppressed tumor growth by 88 % in a colon cancer and 97 % in a pancreatic cancer mouse model.

Data Availability Statement

The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

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