Abstract
This study investigates the development of a targeted drug delivery system utilizing zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 (ZIF-8)-based nanocarriers functionalized with Epithelial Cell Adhesion Molecule (EpCAM) aptamers to enhance the therapeutic efficacy of Doxorubicin (DOX) against EpCAM-positive cancer cells. The inherent properties of ZIF-8, including its high surface area, structural stability, and pH-responsive degradation, make it an ideal vehicle for controlled drug release. The encapsulation of Doxorubicin within ZIF-8 nanocarriers, combined with surface modification using aptamers, is designed to direct DOX delivery specifically to tumor cells, thereby reducing off-target cytotoxicity. Our findings demonstrate that EpCAM-targeted, PEGylated ZIF-8 nanocarriers significantly improve the therapeutic efficacy of DOX while minimizing toxicity in non-cancerous cells. Furthermore, in vivo studies confirmed superior tumor suppression accompanied by reduced systemic toxicity. This research underscores the potential of EpCAM-modified ZIF-8 nanocarriers as a highly promising and innovative strategy for targeted cancer therapy.
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The authors gratefully acknowledge the supports from Research Councils of Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences and Ferdowsi University of Mashhad.
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This study was supported by the Research Council of Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences.
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All animal experiments were performed in accordance with the relevant guidelines and regulations of Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences and were approved by its Research Ethics Committee (Approval ID: IR.BMSU.BLC.1403.113). All methods are reported in accordance with the ARRIVE guidelines (https://arriveguidelines.org), ensuring high standards of animal welfare and reproducibility.
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Tarin, M., Hasani-Nourian, Y., Khoshsafar, H. et al. EpCAM-targeted ZIF-8 nanocarriers for enhanced doxorubicin delivery in cancer therapy: a promising approach for tumor-specific drug release. Sci Rep (2026). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-42521-z
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-42521-z
