Exploring the Gamma-Ray Enhanced NIR-Luminescence and Cytotoxic Potential of Lanthanide-Naphthalene Dicarboxylate based Metal–Organic Frameworks

Abstract

In this investigation, we explore the integration of lanthanides into Metal–Organic Frameworks (MOFs) to enable Near-Infrared (NIR) emission. Specifically, we focus on Lanthanide-Naphthalene Dicarboxylate based MOFs (Ln-MOFs), incorporating elements such as Praseodymium (Pr), Samarium (Sm), Dysprosium (Dy), and Erbium (Er). The synthesis of Ln-MOFs is achieved via the hydrothermal method. The structure, morphology, thermal stability, and luminescence properties of synthesized Ln-MOFs have been evaluated through different characterization techniques. Upon photoexcitation at 350 nm, Ln-MOFs show the emission in the Visible and NIR region. Further, the luminescence intensity of Ln-MOFs enhanced by 2–3 folds in the visible region and 6–8 folds in NIR region after exposing to Gamma irradiation at 150 kGy. Cytotoxic effect on the viability of MDA-MB 231 and MDA-MB 468 Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) cells was evaluated by MTT assay. The results revealed that among all synthesized MOFs, Pr-MOF exhibited an aggressive cytotoxic effect. Additionally, analysis of phase-contrast microscopy data indicates that Pr-MOF induces alterations in the morphology of both MDA-MB 231 and MDA-MB 468 TNBC cells when compared to untreated controls. The findings in this study reveal the utilization of Ln-MOFs for studying cytotoxicity and highlight their ability to enhance near-infrared (NIR) emission when exposed to gamma radiation. © The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature 2024.