Targeting of Micelles and Liposomes Loaded with the Pro-Apoptotic Drug, NCL-240, into NCI/ADR-RES Cells in a 3D Spheroid Model.

PURPOSE: To develop transferrin (Tf)-targeted delivery systems for the pro-apoptotic drug, NCL-240, and to evaluate the efficacy of this delivery system in ovarian cancer NCI/ADR-RES cells, grown in vitro in a 3D spheroid model. METHODS: Tf-targeted PEG-PE-based micellar and ePC/CHOL-based liposomal delivery systems for NCL-240 were prepared. NCI/ADR-RES cells were used to generate spheroids by a non-adhesive liquid overlay technique. Spheroid growth and development were monitored by size (diameter) analysis and H&E staining. The targeted formulations were compared to untargeted ones in terms of their degree of spheroid association and penetration. A cell viability analysis with NCL-240-loaded micelles and liposomes was performed to assess the effectiveness of Tf-targeting. RESULTS: Tf-targeted polymeric micelles and Tf-targeted liposomes loaded with NCL-240 were prepared. NCI/ADR-RES cells generated spheroids that demonstrated the presence of a distinct necrotic core along with proliferating cells in the spheroid periphery, partly mimicking in vivo tumors. The Tf-targeted micelles and liposomes had a deeper spheroid penetration as compared to the untargeted delivery systems. Cell viability studies using the spheroid model demonstrated that Tf-mediated targeting markedly improved the cytotoxicity profile of NCL-240. CONCLUSION: Transferrin targeting enhanced delivery and effectiveness of micelles and liposomes loaded with NCL-240 against NCI/ADR-RES cancer cells in a 3D spheroid model.

Current trends in the use of liposomes for tumor targeting.

The use of liposomes for drug delivery began early in the history of pharmaceutical nanocarriers. These nanosized, lipid bilayered vesicles have become popular as drug delivery systems owing to their efficiency, biocompatibility, nonimmunogenicity, enhanced solubility of chemotherapeutic agents and their ability to encapsulate a wide array of drugs. Passive and ligand-mediated active targeting promote tumor specificity with diminished adverse off-target effects. The current field of liposomes focuses on both clinical and diagnostic applications. Recent efforts have concentrated on the development of multifunctional liposomes that target cells and cellular organelles with a single delivery system. This review discusses the recent advances in liposome research in tumor targeting.

Surface functionalization of doxorubicin-loaded liposomes with octa-arginine for enhanced anticancer activity.

Doxorubicin-loaded PEGylated liposomes (commercially available as DOXIL or Lipodox) were surface functionalized with a cell-penetrating peptide, octa-arginine (R8). For this purpose, R8-peptide was conjugated to the polyethylene glycol-dioleoyl phosphatidylethanolamine (PEG-DOPE) amphiphilic co-polymer. The resultant R8-PEG-PE conjugate was introduced into the lipid bilayer of liposomes at 2 mol% of total lipid amount via spontaneous micelle-transfer technique. The liposomal modification did not alter the particle size distribution, as measured by Particle Size Analyzer and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). However, surface-associated cationic peptide increased zeta potential of the modified liposomes. R8-functionalized liposomes (R8-Dox-L) markedly increased the intracellular and intratumoral delivery of doxorubicin as measured by flow cytometry and visualizing by confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) compared to unmodified Doxorubicin-loaded PEGylated liposomes (Dox-L). R8-Dox-L delivered loaded Doxorubicin to the nucleus, being released from the endosomes at higher efficiency compared to unmodified liposomes, which had marked entrapment in the endosomes at tested time point of 1h. The significantly higher accumulation of loaded drug to its site of action for R8-Dox-L resulted in improved cytotoxic activity in vitro (cell viability of 58.5 ± 7% for R8-Dox-L compared to 90.6 ± 2% for Dox-L at Dox dose of 50 µg/mL for 4h followed by 24h incubation) and enhanced suppression of tumor growth (348 ± 53 mm(3) for R8-Dox-L, compared to 504 ± 54 mm(3) for Dox-L treatment) in vivo compared to Dox-L. R8-modification has the potential for broadening the therapeutic window of pegylated liposomal doxorubicin treatment, which could lead to lower non-specific toxicity.

Lipid modified triblock PAMAM-based nanocarriers for siRNA drug co-delivery.

RNA interference by small interfering RNA (siRNA) holds promise to attenuate production of specific target proteins but is challenging in practice owing to the barriers for its efficient intracellular delivery. We have synthesized a triblock co-polymeric system, poly(amidoamine) dendrimer (generation 4)-poly(ethylene glycol)-1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine (G(4)-D-PEG-(2K)-DOPE). G(4)-PAMAM dendrimer was utilized as a cationic source for efficient siRNA condensation; DOPE provided optimum hydrophobicity and compatible cellular interaction for enhanced cell penetration; PEG rendered flexibility to the G(4)-D for easy accessibility of siRNA for condensation; PEG-DOPE system provided stable micellization in a mixed micellar system. G(4)-D-PEG-(2K)-DOPE was incorporated into the self-assembled PEG-(5K)-PE micelles at a 1:1 molar ratio. Our results demonstrate that the modified dendrimer, G(4)-D-PEG-(2K)-DOPE and the micellar nanocarrier form stable polyplexes with siRNA, shows excellent serum stability and a significantly higher cellular uptake of siRNA that results in target protein down-regulation when compared to the G(4)-PAMAM dendrimer. Moreover, the mixed micellar system showed efficient micellization and higher drug (doxorubicin) loading efficiency. The G(4)-D-PEG-(2K)-DOPE has the higher efficacy for siRNA delivery, whereas G(4)-D-PEG-(2K)-DOPE/PEG-(5K)-PE micelles appear to be a promising carrier for drug/siRNA co-delivery, especially useful for the treatment of multi-drug resistant cancers.

Octa-arginine-modified pegylated liposomal doxorubicin: an effective treatment strategy for non-small cell lung cancer.

The present study aims to evaluate the efficacy of octa-arginine (R8)-modified pegylated liposomal doxorubicin (R8-PLD) for the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer, for which the primary treatment modality currently consists of surgery and radiotherapy. Cell-penetrating peptide R8 modification of Doxorubicin-(Dox)-loaded liposomes was performed by post-insertion of an R8-conjugated amphiphilic PEG-PE copolymer (R8-PEG-DOPE) into the liposomal lipid bilayer. In vitro analysis with the non-small cell lung cancer cell line, A549 confirmed the efficient cellular accumulation of Dox, delivered by R8-PLD compared to PLD. It led to the early initiation of apoptosis and a 9-fold higher level of the apoptotic regulator, caspase 3/7 (9.24±0.34) compared to PLD (1.07±0.19) at Dox concentration of 100 µg/mL. The treatment of A549 monolayers with R8-PLD increased the level of cell death marker lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) secretion (1.2±0.1 for PLD and 2.3±0.1 for R8-PLD at Dox concentration of 100 µg/mL) confirming higher cytotoxicity of R8-PLD than PLD, which was ineffective under the same treatment regimen (cell viability 90±6% in PLD vs. 45±2% in R8-PLD after 24h). R8-PLD had significantly higher penetration into the hypoxic A549 tumor spheroids compared to PLD. R8-PLD induced greater level of apoptosis to A549 tumor xenograft and dramatic inhibition of tumor volume and tumor weight reduction. The R8-PLD treated tumor lysate had a elevated caspase 3/7 expression than with R8-PLD treatment. This suggested system improved the delivery efficiency of Dox in selected model of cancer which supports the potential usefulness of R8-PLD in cancer treatment, lung cancer in particular.

Liposomes loaded with paclitaxel and modified with novel triphenylphosphonium-PEG-PE conjugate possess low toxicity, target mitochondria and demonstrate enhanced antitumor effects in vitro and in vivo.

Previously, stearyl triphenylphosphonium (STPP)-modified liposomes (STPP-L) were reported to target mitochondria. To overcome a non-specific cytotoxicity of STPP-L, we synthesized a novel polyethylene glycol-phosphatidylethanolamine (PEG-PE) conjugate with the TPP group attached to the distal end of the PEG block (TPP-PEG-PE). This conjugate was incorporated into the liposomal lipid bilayer, and the modified liposomes were studied for their toxicity, mitochondrial targeting, and efficacy in delivering paclitaxel (PTX) to cancer cells in vitro and in vivo. These TPP-PEG-PE-modified liposomes (TPP-PEG-L), surface grafted with as high as 8 mol% of the conjugate, were less cytotoxic compared to STPP-L or PEGylated STPP-L. At the same time, TPP-PEG-L demonstrated efficient mitochondrial targeting in cancer cells as shown by confocal microscopy in co-localization experiments with stained mitochondria. PTX-loaded TPP-PEG-L demonstrated enhanced PTX-induced cytotoxicity and anti-tumor efficacy in cell culture and mouse experiments compared to PTX-loaded unmodified plain liposomes (PL). Thus, TPP-PEG-PE can serve as a targeting ligand to prepare non-toxic liposomes as mitochondria-targeted drug delivery systems (DDS).