Effects of ZIF-8 MOFs on structure and function of blood components

ZIF-8 MOFs, with their large specific surface area and void volume, unique biodegradability and pH sensitivity, and significant loading capacity, have been widely used as carrier materials for bioactive molecules such as drugs, vaccines and genes. In these applications, ZIF-8 MOFs are usually delivered intravenously. Therefore, it is necessary to know the interaction between ZIF-8 MOFs and blood components, which from this sense is a key factor affecting their delivery effectiveness and biosafety. However, until now there has been no report on the evaluation of hemocompatibility of ZIF-8 MOFs. The lack of biosafety information of ZIF-8 MOFs seriously impedes their clinical applications. In this work, we studied the biosafety of two different sizes of ZIF-8 MOFs, mainly focusing on their in vivo and in vitro effects on the key components of blood (red blood cells (RBCs), platelets, etc.) and the coagulation function. It was found that, in vitro, a high concentration of ZIF-8 MOFs could induce RBC aggregation and hemolysis, and prolong the coagulation time. In vivo, intravenous administration of 45 mg kg(−1) ZIF-8 MOFs significantly disturbed the RBC and platelet-related blood routine indexes, as well as coagulation function indexes, but it did not cause significant abnormalities in blood coagulation and tissue structures (heart, liver, spleen, lung, and kidney).