Brain and muscle of Wistar rats are the main targets of intravenous dendrimeric sulfadiazine.

Cytotoxicity of sulfadiazine (SDZ) complexed with PAMAM dendrimers of fourth generation (SDZ-DG4) determined by MTT assay and LDH leakage, was reduced on covered (with mucins) but not on nude (without mucins) Caco-2 cell line. SDZ-DG4 adsorption and uptake on nude and covered Caco-2 cells, determined by flow cytometry and fluorescence confocal microscopy indicated that positively charged DG4 remained electrostatically attracted to the negatively charged mucins macromolecules. Hence, the in vivo accession of cationic dendrimers to epithelial cells could partly be impaired by their entrapment into mucins. This fact could account for an in vivo decreased cytotoxicity. Besides this finding, when orally administered to Wistar rats, no differences in SDZ biodistribution were found between SDZ-DG4 and free SDZ. However, when intravenously administered at 1.5 mg SDZ per kg body weight, Cmax for free SDZ was 0.7+/-0.2 microg vs. 2.7+/-0.4 microg/ml for SDZ-DG4, whereas AUC0-3 for free SDZ was 0.8+/-0.6 microg/h ml vs. 5.2+/-2 microg/h ml for SDZ-DG4. SDZ-DG4 initial volume distribution (Vd) was 2.6-fold lower than for free SDZ. Remarkably, 3 h upon SDZ-DG4 administration, SDZ concentration in muscle and in brain were 17- and 10-fold higher, respectively, than those achieved with free SDZ.

Liposomes can both enhance or reduce drugs penetration through the skin.

The adequate formulation of topical vehicles to treat skin diseases is particularly complex. A desirable formulation should enhance the accumulation of the active drugs in the target tissue (the skin), while avoiding the penetration enhancement to be so large that the drugs reach the systemic circulation in toxic amounts. We have evaluated the transcutaneous penetration of three drugs chosen for their widely variable physicochemical properties: Amphotericin B, Imiquimod and Indole. We incorporated the drugs in fluid or ultra-flexible liposomes. Ultra-flexible liposomes produced enhancement of drug penetration into/through human skin in all cases in comparison with fluid liposomes without detergent, regardless of drug molecular weight. At the same time, our results indicate that liposomes can impede the transcutaneous penetration of molecules, in particular small ones.

Photodynamic ultradeformable liposomes: Design and characterization.

Hydrophobic ([tetrakis(2,4-dimetil-3-pentyloxi)-phthalocyaninate]zinc(II)) (ZnPc) and hydrophilic ([tetrakis(N,N,N-trimethylammoniumetoxi)-phthalocyaninate]zinc(II) tetraiodide) (ZnPcMet) phthalocyanines were synthesized and loaded in ultradeformable liposomes (UDL) of soybean phosphatidylcholine and sodium cholate (6:1, w/w, ratio), resulting 100 nm mean size vesicles of negative Zeta potential, with encapsulation efficiencies of 85 and 53%, enthalpy of phase transition of 5.33 and 158 J/mmol for ZnPc and ZnPcMet, respectively, indicating their deep and moderate partition into UD matrices. Matrix elasticity of UDL-phthalocyanines resulted 28-fold greater than that of non-UDL, leaking only 25% of its inner aqueous content after passage through a nanoporous barrier versus 100% leakage for non-UDL. UDL-ZnPc made ZnPc soluble in aqueous buffer while kept the monomeric state, rendering singlet oxygen quantum yield (Phi(Delta)) similar to that obtained in ethanol (0.61), whereas UDL-ZnPcMet had a four-fold higher Phi(Delta) than that of free ZnPcMet (0.21). Free phthalocyanines were non-toxic at 1 and 10 microM, both in dark or upon irradiation at 15 J/cm2 on Vero and J-774 cells (MTT assay). Only liposomal ZnPc at 10 microM was toxic for J-774 cells under both conditions. Additionally, endo-lysosomal confinement of the HPTS dye was kept after irradiation at 15 J/cm2 in the presence of UDL-phtalocyanines. This could lead to improve effects of singlet oxygen against intra-vesicular pathogen targets inside the endo-lysosomal system.

Nanomolar cationic dendrimeric sulfadiazine as potential antitoxoplasmic agent.

The high doses of sulfadiazine (SDZ), used in synergistic combination with pyrimethamine, are mainly responsible for severe side effects and discontinuation of toxoplasmosis treatments. In the search for new strategies that improve the efficacy of treatments with reduced doses of SDZ, we have determined the performance of cationic G4 (DG4) and anionic G4.5 (DG4.5) poly(amidoamine) (PAMAM) dendrimers to act as SDZ nanocarriers. Both dendrimers could efficiently load SDZ (SDZ-DG4 and SDZ-DG4.5) up to a ratio of 30 molecules SDZ per dendrimer molecule. The MTT assay on Vero and J774 cells showed no cytotoxicity for DG4.5 and its SDZ complex incubated between 0.03 and 33 microM of dendrimer concentration. On the other hand, DG4 and its SDZ complex resulted cytotoxic when incubated at dendrimer concentrations higher than 3.3 microM. Finally, complexes and empty dendrimers were in vitro tested against Vero cells infected with RH strain of Toxoplasma gondii along 4h of treatment. For SDZ-DG4.5 and DG4.5 to cause an infection decrease between 25 and 40%, respectively, a dendrimer concentration of 33 microM was required; however, SDZ-DG4 produced the highest infection decrease of 60% at 0.03 microM. These preliminary results, achieved with nanomolar doses of SDZ-DG4 as unique active principle, point to this complex as a suitable potential candidate for antitoxoplasmic therapy.

On the mechanism of hepatic transendothelial passage of large liposomes.

Liposomes of 400 nm in diameter can cross the 100-nm fenestrations in the endothelium of the hepatic sinusoid, provided they contain phosphatidylserine (PS) but not phosphatidylglycerol (PG) [Daemen et al. (1997) Hepatology 26, 416]. We present evidence indicating that (i) the PS effect does not involve a pharmacological action of this lipid on the size of the fenestrations, (ii) fluid-type but not solid-type PS liposomes have access to the hepatocytes and (iii) the lack of uptake of PG liposomes by hepatocytes is not due to a lack of affinity of the hepatocytes for PG surfaces. We conclude that the mechanism responsible for the uptake of large PS-containing liposomes by hepatocytes in vivo involves a mechanical deformation of these liposomes during their passage across the endothelial fenestrations.

Sialic acid measurement by a modified Aminoff method: a time-saving reduction in 2-thiobarbituric acid concentration.

Our results show that if the 2-thiobarbituric acid concentration is decreased, its co-precipitation with the chromophore is diminished. Subsequent running of this reaction mixture by high-performance liquid chromatography still allows measurement of Neu-5-Ac in the picomole order, with a substantial time and reactive saving, as compared with the original assay.

Development and in vitro characterisation of a benznidazole liposomal formulation.

The purpose of this study was to find a multilamellar liposomal formulation for the antichagasic drug Benznidazole (BNZ). Different lipid matrices and organic solvents for BNZ were tested in order to obtain the liposomes with the highest g BNZ/100 g total lipid (D/TL) ratio. The best lipid matrices resulted from hydrogenated phosphatidylcholine from soybean (HSPC): Cholesterol (Chol): distearoyl-phosphatidylglycerol (DSPG) (molar ratio 2:2:1) prepared with BNZ dissolved in DMSO. Drug loading of 2 g BNZ/100 g total lipids at a total lipid concentration of 20-30 mM was obtained. Two in vitro assays on the HSPC:Chol:DSPG formulation to predict its in vivo behaviour were performed. In the first experiments, after 60 min at 1-450-fold dilution in buffer at 37 degrees C, the amount of drug associated to liposomes was reduced from 2 to 0.25 g BNZ/100 g total lipids at a rate of 65% (drug lost) min(-1) at the first minute followed by 0.4% (drug lost) min(-1) during the next hour. When incubated in plasma at 37 degrees C, the HSPC:Chol:DSPG formulations bounded a high amount of plasma proteins: r=2400 microg plasma protein per micromol total lipid.

Intravenous liposomal benznidazole as trypanocidal agent: increasing drug delivery to liver is not enough.

With the aim of investigating if delivery of benznidazole (BNZ) to liver could be increased by incorporating the drug in multilamellar liposomes, single bolus of free BNZ or liposomal BNZ formulations (MLV-BNZ) composed of HSPC:DSPG:Chol 2:1:2 (mol/mol/mol) at 0.7% (w/w) drug/total lipid ratio, were injected by intramuscular (i.m.), subcutaneous (s.c.) and intravenous (i.v.) routes, at 0.2 mg BNZ/kg, in rats. The resulting blood concentrations were followed along 9 h post-injection (p.i.) and drug accumulation in liver was determined after 4 and 9 h p.i. Only upon i.v. injection of MLV-BNZ, a threefold higher BNZ accumulation in liver was obtained, together with blood BNZ concentrations of 1.1 microg/ml (30% lower than the blood BNZ concentration achieved upon i.v. administration of free drug) occurred 4 h p.i. However, such increased liver uptake of BNZ, raised twice a week had no effect on parasitaemia levels of mice infected with the RA strain of Trypanosoma cruzi. Our results indicate that the relationship between increased selectivity for an infected tissue and therapeutic effect is not always straightforward, at least for the MLV-BNZ regimen used in the present study.

Rigid multilamellar bilayer cooperativity is modified by non covalently linked neuraminic-5-acid: a spectrophotometric determination.

By means of recording a simple serie of merocyanine 540 spectra, we present a method to calculate the value proportional to co-operative unit size of membranes (n). Our calculations, applied to different liposomal samples processed in the presence or absence of sugars, in high or low ionic strength showed two main results. First, that any temperature cycling in high ionic strength of rigid DPPC bilayers will modify the membrane cooperativity. Second, the presence of polysaccharide Neu-5-ac in solution will always produce a strong drop in co-operativity of a rigid membrane of DPPC, whenever the negative charge is fully exposed. This last result indicates a differential ability of charged Neu-5-ac to disrupt a rigid membrane structure, even in the absence of a covalent linkage and--remarkably-in fully hydrated media.

Liposomal benznidazole: a high-performance liquid chromatographic determination for biodistribution studies.

In this work, an isocratic high-performance liquid chromatographic method for quantitation of liposomal benznidazole (BNZ) in biological tissues is presented. The method comprises protein precipitation together with an efficient extraction of bulk or liposomal BNZ with acetonitrile-dimethylsulfoxide (1:1, v/v) at a 2:1 (extraction solvent-tissue matrix, v/v or /vw) ratio; the process is completed by a final precipitation with trichloroacetic acid. The resultant supernatants are assayed chromatographically using a Kromasil C18 (25- x 0.4-cm i.d., 100 A, 5- microm particle size), with an isocratic mobil phase consisting of acetonitrile-water (40:60, v/v), a flow rate of 0.9 mL/min, and detected at 324 nm. Bulk BNZ is used as a reference standard for the analysis of samples containing liposomal BNZ. The assay is linear over a concentration range of 0.75 (the lowest quantity of analyte determined with precision and accuracy of >or= 20%) to 25 microg/mL-g in all liquid and solid matrices. Within-day precision is better than 6.4% in plasma and 8.6% in liver, the same for the two assayed concentrations. Between-day precision is 5.4% and 12.3% in plasma and 9% and 6.9% in liver for the two assayed concentrations, respectively. The absolute recoveries range between 70% and 97%. Therefore, the method is accurate and precise to be employed for detection of minor quantities of liposomal BNZ in biological tissues.

[Lipid vectors. New strategies for gene therapy]. / Vectores lipidicos. Nuevas estrategias aplicadas a la terapia génica.

Phospholipids are capable of spontaneous self-assembling, a remarkable differential property if compared with the rest of biological molecules. By their means it is relatively easy to generate extremely stable sealed structures, with controlled shape, size and packing, known as liposomes. In this article, we review the use of liposomes to improve the transfection process in eucaryotic cells, in vitro as well as in vivo. By employing lipid vectors, it is feasible to selectively transport a DNA segment to any target of the body, to force it to enter a cell and once inside it, to exert a control on its ultimate intracellular fate. The goal of lipid vectors to successfully transfect a cell in vivo, lies on the provision of a mechanical protection for DNA against plasma degradation, together with the possibility of controlling DNA biodistribution, independently of its size and sequence. Moreover, lipid vectors are not carcinogenic and are poorly immunogenic. Current challenge in lipid synthesis allows for a vector design which should be efficient enough to compete with high transfection levels of a viral vector, but with the extreme versatility, simplicity and biosafety characteristic of self assembling molecules.

Ethylendiamine core PAMAM dendrimers/siRNA complexes as in vitro silencing agents.

We have screened the formation of complexes between ethylendiamine (EDA) core polyamidoamine (PAMAM) dendrimers (D) and a short interfering RNA (siRNA) as a function of three variables: the ionic strength of the medium (lacking or containing 150 mM NaCl), the D generation (G4, G5, G6 and G7) and the N/P ratio (nitrogen amines in D/phosphate in siRNA). It was observed that all D formed complexes with siRNA, being the size of the complexes strictly dependent on the ionic strength of the media. The strong electrostatic interactions occurring in NaCl lacking medium made siRNA-D complexes (siRNA-D) smaller than those obtained in NaCl containing medium (30-130 nm, +25 mV zeta potential vs. several microm-800 nm, 0 zeta potential, respectively). Not surprisingly, both the uptake and inhibition of EGFP expression in cell culture, resulted dependent on siRNA-D size. siRNA-D prepared in NaCl containing medium were poorly captured and presented a basal activity on phagocytic (J-774-EGFP) cells, being inactive on non-phagocytic cells (T98G-EGFP). However, the smaller siRNA-D prepared in NaCl lacking medium were massively captured, exhibiting the highest inhibition of EGFP expression at 50 nM siRNA (non-cytotoxic concentration). Remarkably, siRNA-G7 produced the highest inhibition of EGFP expression both in T98G-EGFP (35%) and J-774-EGFP (45%) cells, in spite of inducing a lower protection of siRNA against RNase A degradation. Taken together, our results showed that modifying the chemical structure of D is not the only way of achieving siRNA-D suitable for silencing activity. The simple use of a low ionic strength preparation media has been critical to get small siRNA-D that could be captured by cells and in particular, siRNA-G7 but not those formed by lower generation D, possessed structural constraints other than size that could favor its silencing activity.

Avoiding failed reconstitution of ultradeformable liposomes upon dehydration.

Although freeze-drying is an ordinarily used technique to dehydrate conventional liposomes, we have found that ultradeformable liposomes (UDLs) suffered irreversible aggregation when rehydrated upon freeze-drying (99.4% water elimination), even in high sugar content (4/1 sucrose/lipid mass ratio). When dehydrated by speed vac and vacuum drying, two alternative techniques that rendered less pronounced dehydration (94.27 and 96.2% water elimination, respectively) and avoid ice formation, however, UDL could only be successfully rehydrated when vacuum dried in 4/1 sucrose/lipid mass ratios. Conventional liposomes, on the other hand, were successfully reconstituted upon dehydrated by the three methods in lower sugar content (2/1 sucrose/lipid mass ratio). These results indicated that the 27% mole sodium cholate within the UDL lipid matrix was responsible for a greater and differential mechanical sensitivity of the bilayers to the different dehydration stress, as compared to conventional liposomes.