In Vitro Cytotoxic Effect of N-(Phosphonacetyl)-L-Aspartic Acid in Liposome Against C-26 Murine Colon Carcinoma

We have investigated the in vitro cytotoxic effect of liposome-encapsulated N-(phospho-nacetyl)-L-aspartic acid (PALA) against C-26 murine colon cancer cells, and have compared it in this regard to free PALA. Three different PALA-containing liposomal formulations using distearoylphosphatidylcholine (DSPC), distearoylphosphatidylglycerol (DSPG), and polyethyle-neglycol-derivatized distearoylphosphatidylethanolamine (PEG-DSPE) were made and their cytotoxicity was measured. In 72 hr continuous exposure experiment with C-26 cells, the 50% growth inhibitory concentration ($IC_50$) of DSPG-PALA liposome formulation was $0.09\mu\$, which showed about 65-fold more potent than unencapsulated free PALA ($5.1\mu\$). Similar degree of increase in cytotoxicity was also observed in 1 hr exposure experiment. However the $IC_50$ of PEG-DSPE-PALA liposome and DSPC-PALA liposome were $10.7\mu\$and $11.8\mu\$respectively, which showed slightly less potent than unencapsulated free PALA. Physical characteristics of PALA-liposomes, such as the size and drug:lipid ratio were also determined. In conclusion, negatively-charged DSPG-PALA liposome showed the highest cytotoxic effect among tested on the C-26 cells in vitro.