Study of the Fe(3)O(4)@ZIF-8@Sor Composite Modified by Tannic Acid for the Treatment of Sorafenib-Resistant Hepatocellular Carcinoma

[Image: see text] Chemotherapeutic agents fail in clinical chemotherapy in the absence of targeting and acquired resistance. We, therefore, synthesized Fe(3)O(4)@ZIF-8@Sor@TA nanocomposite drugs based on the drug delivery properties of nanomaterials. ZIF-8 is a nanomaterial with a porous structure that can load anticancer drugs. The nanodrug used the paramagnetic property of Fe(3)O(4) to deliver sorafenib (Sor) precisely to the tumor site, then used the pH responsiveness of ZIF-8 to slowly release Sor in the tumor microenvironment, and finally used tannic acid (TA) to inhibit P-glycoprotein to suppress the Sor resistance. The results of material characterization presented that the prepared material was structurally stable and was able to achieve a cumulative drug release of 38.2% at pH 5.0 for 72 h. The good biocompatibility of the composite was demonstrated by in vitro and in vivo experiments, which could improve antitumor activity and reduce Sor resistance through magnetic targeting TA. In conclusion, the Fe(3)O(4)@ZIF-8@Sor@TA material prepared in this study demonstrated high antitumor activity in hepatocellular carcinoma treatment, promising to reduce drug resistance and providing a novel research approach for cancer treatment.