• Archives of Pharmacal Research
• /
• v.14 no.4
• /
• pp.336-341
• /
• 1991

The effect of bovine serum albumin (BSA) on the encapsulation efficiency and stability of liposomes containing methotrexate (MTX) having different surface charges and cholesterol contents were investigated. The encapsulation efficiency of MTX was lower and the release of MTX was faster by the addition of BSA. The leaking of MTX from lipid bilayer depends upon the BSA concentrations. These results may be derived from the interaction of BSA with lipid bilayers. The dynamic structural changes of BSA were monitored indirectly using circular dichroism spectra. Observed dynamic structural changes of BSA with liposomes are presumed to reflect the interaction of BSA with liposomes. Negatively charged liposomes have more strong interaction with BSA than neutral and positively charged liposomes. BSA attacks lipid bilayers whether it is at the inner or at the outer phase of lipid bilayer and induces leakage of entrapped MTX. Especially, negatively charged liposomes are more sensitive than others. The inclusion of cholesterol in the lipid layers inhibits the interaction of BSA with liposomes and shows protective effect against BSA-induced leakage of MTX. To endure the attacking of BSA liposomes as drug carriers should be made using cholesterol.

• BMB Reports
• /
• v.40 no.6
• /
• pp.1090-1094
• /
• 2007

Melittin (ME), a linear 26-residue non-cell-selective antimicrobial peptide, displays strong lytic activity against bacterial and human red blood cells. To design ME analogue with improved cell selectivity, we synthesized a melittin diastereomer (ME-D) with D-amino acid in the leucine zipper sequence (Leu-6, Lue-13 and Ile-20). Compared to ME, ME-D exhibited the same or 2-fold higher antibacterial activity but 8-fold less hemolytic activity. Circular dichroism analysis revealed that ME-D has much less $\alpha$-helical content in $\alpha$-helical content in the presence of zwitterionic EYPC/cholesterol (10 : 1, w/w) liposomes compared to negatively charged EYPE/EYPG (7 : 3, w/w) liposomes. The blue shift of the fluorescence emission maximum of ME-D in zwitterionic EYPC/cholesterol (10 : 1, w/w) liposomes was much smaller than in negatively charged EYPE/EYPG (7 : 3, w/w) liposomes. These results suggested that the improvement in therapeutic index/cell selectivity of ME-D is correlated with its less permeability to zwitterionic membranes.

• Biomedical Science Letters
• /
• v.25 no.2
• /
• pp.159-169
• /
• 2019

Breast cancer stem cells (BCSCs) in breast cancer cells have self-renewal ability and differentiation potential. They are also resistant to drugs after chemotherapy. To overcome this resistance, we designed negatively charged 1,2-dimyristoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoglycerol (DMPG)-based liposomes for drug delivery. These liposomes have enhanced the therapeutic effects of a range of antitumor therapies by increasing the cellular uptake and improving drug delivery to targets sites. In this study, we investigated whether DMPG-POPC liposomes, including the neutral lipid 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholin (POPC), can specifically bind to MCF-7 breast cancer cells and increase cellular uptake compared with that by CHOL-POPC liposomes. We also estimated the cytotoxicity of DMPG-POPC liposomes encapsulated with both metformin (Met) and sodium salicylate (Sod) against breast cancer cells and BCSCs compared with that of the free drugs. Our results demonstrated that these dual drug-encapsulated liposomes significantly enhanced the cytotoxic and anti-colony formation abilities compared with individual drug-encapsulated liposomes or free drugs in BCSCs. Overall, our results suggest that DMPG-POPC liposomes containing two drugs (Met + Sod) show promise for synergistic anti-cancer therapy of breast cancer by increasing drug delivery efficiency into breast cancer cells and BCSCs.

• Journal of Pharmaceutical Investigation
• /
• v.30 no.1
• /
• pp.39-45
• /
• 2000

We have investigated the efficacy of liposome encapsulated N-(phosphonacetyl)-L-aspartic acid (PALA) for the treatment of the C-26 murine colon tumor in Balb/c mice, and have compared it in this regard to free PALA. Healthy female Balb/c mice and C-26 tumor inoculated mice were randomized for the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) study and the in vivo therapy study, and the survival was measured after a single intraperitoneal injection of the drug. The maximum tolerated dose for intraperitoneally administered drug was found to be 750 mg/Kg for free PALA, and was greater than the maximum dose possible (150 mg/Kg) for PALA encapsulated in both DSPC and DSPG liposomes. When drug was administered one day after tumor implantation, 150 mg/Kg of PALA in DSPG liposomes increased the percentage of tumor bearing mice surviving at day 36 from 8% (buffer control) to 88%. In contrast, 150 mg/Kg free PALA increased the day 36 surviving percentage to only 25%. A 150 mg/Kg dose of PALA in DSPC liposomes increased the surviving percentage to 50%, while a 75 mg/Kg dose of PALA in sterically stabilized liposomes increased the surviving percentage to 78%. These results show that PALA in negatively charged or sterically stabilized liposomes can exhibit considerably greater potency than free PALA in C-26 tumor bearing mice.

• Journal of Pharmaceutical Investigation
• /
• v.39 no.6
• /
• pp.423-429
• /
• 2009

Liposomes have been used as one of the efficient carriers for drug delivery. In this study, anionic liposomes of which surface was modified by using both electrostaic interaction between anionic liposomes and cationically charged BSA molecules at lower pH than isoelectric point (pI) of BSA and denaturation of the BSA-coated liposomes by thermal treatment. The thermally denatured BSA-coated liposomes (DBAL) had mean particle diameter of 125.2${\pm}$1.7 nm and zeta potential value of -22.4${\pm}$4.5 mV. Loading efficiency of model drug, doxorubicin (DOX), into liposomes was 83.0${\pm}$2.6%. Results of in vitro stability study of DBAL in blood plasma showed that the mean particle diameter of DBAL 400 did not increase in blood plasma and adsorption of plasma protein was much less than plain or anionic liposomes. Intracellular uptake of DBAL 400 evaluated by confocal microscopy observation was higher than that of PEG liposomes.

• Journal of Pharmaceutical Investigation
• /
• v.38 no.1
• /
• pp.15-21
• /
• 2008

Liposomes as one of the efficient drug carriers have some shortcomings such as their short circulation time, fast clearance from human body by reticuloendothelial system (RES) and limited intracellular uptake to target cell. In this study, polyethylenglycol (PEG)-incorporated cationic liposomes were prepared by ionic complexation of positively charged liposomes with carboxylated polyethyleneglycol (mPEG-COOH). The cationic liposomes had approximately $98.6{\pm}1.0nm$ of mean particle diameter and $42.8{\pm}0.8mV$ of zeta potential value. The PEG-incorporated cationic liposomes had $110.1{\pm}1.2nm$ of mean particle diameter with an increase of about 10 nm compared to the cationic liposomes. Zeta potential value of them was $12.9{\pm}0.6mV$ indicating 30mV decrease of cationic charge compared to the cationic liposomes. The amount of PEG which was incorporated onto the cationic liposomes was assayed by using picrate assay method and the incorporation efficiency was $58.4{\pm}1.1%$. Loading efficiency of model drug, doxorubicin, into cationic liposomes or PEG-incorporated cationic liposomes was about $96.0{\pm}0.7%$. Results of intracellular uptake which were evaluated by flow cytometry analysis of doxorubicin loaded liposomes showed that intracellular uptake of PEG-incorporated cationic liposomes was higher than the cationic liposomes or DSPE-mPEG liposomes. In addition, cytotoxicity of PEG-incorporated cationic liposomes was comparable to cationic liposomes. Consequently, the PEG-incorporated cationic liposomes of which surface was incorporated with PEG by ionic complex may be applicable as anticancer drug carriers that can increase therapeutic efficacy.

• Journal of Pharmaceutical Investigation
• /
• v.39 no.5
• /
• pp.339-343
• /
• 2009

Recently, co-delivery of drug and gene has been attempted for higher therapeutic effects of anticancer agents. In this study, cationic liposomes were prepared using 1,2-dioleoyl-3-trimethylammoniopropane (DOTAP) as a cationic lipid to investigate the effect of drug loading on the physicochemical characteristics of cationic liposomes/DNA complexes. The complex formation between cationic liposomes and negatively charged plasmid DNA was confirmed and the protection from DNase was observed. Particle size of complexes was reduced not by drug loading, but by the increased ratio of cationic lipid to plasmid DNA. Meanwhile, zeta potential of complex was increased by the addition of cationic liposomes to complexes and the effect of drug loading on the zeta potential was not much higher than on particle size. Gel retardation of complexes was indicated when the complexation weight ratios of cationic lipid to plasmid DNA were higher than 24:1 for drug free complexes and 20:1 for drug loaded ones, respectively. Agarose gel retardation showed the similar complexation between plasmid DNA and drug free liposomes or drug loaded liposomes. Both complexes protected plasmid DNA from DNase independent of complexation temperature. From the results, drug loading may affect not the complex formation of cationic liposomes and plasmid DNA, but the particle size of complex.

• Journal of Pharmaceutical Investigation
• /
• v.40 no.6
• /
• pp.357-362
• /
• 2010

To enhance therapeutic effects of insulin-sensitizing adipokine, ADN gene and potent agonists, rosiglitazone for the $PPAR{\gamma}$, cationic liposomes as non-viral vectors were formulated. The particle size and zeta potential of drug loaded and unloaded cationic liposomes were investigated. The complex formation between cationic liposomes and negatively charged plasmid DNA was confirmed and the protection from DNase was observed. In vitro transfection was investigated in HepG2, HeLa, and HEK293 cells by mRNA expression of ADN. Encapsulation efficacy of rosiglitazone-loaded liposomes was determined by UV detection. Particle sizes of cationic liposomes were in the range of 110-170 nm and those of rosiglitazone-loaded cationic liposomes were in the range of 130-180 nm, respectively. Gel retardation of complexes indicated that the complex was formed at weight ratios of cationic lipid to plasmid DNA higher than 20:1. Both complexes protected plasmid DNA from DNase either drug free or drug loading. Encapsulation efficiency of rosiglitazone-loaded emulsion was increased by drug dose. The mRNA expression levels of ADN were dose-dependently increased in cells transfected with plasmid DNA. Therefore, cationic liposomes could be potential co-delivery system for drug and gene.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
• /
• v.10 no.2
• /
• pp.94-99
• /
• 1987

By using the former equation (8), we modified the equation which can show the dissimilar osmotic behavior of liposome with composition change. The slope of the new equation was presented as the ratio of osmotically active volume (V$_{act}$= ) to the total volume (V$_{totel}$= $_{acl}$+ V$_{dead}$ ; V$_{dead}$ is osmotically inactive volume) of loposomes, we defined is as a Z-value, which can elucidate the dissimilarity of the osmotic activity of multilamellar liposomes with the change of phospholipid composition and the differences of physicochemical properties of liposomes. Z-value was applied for studying the physico-chemical properties of liposomal membrane. The factor that affects on the Z-value was not the lipid concentration of liposome stock dispersion but the lipid composition of liposomal membrane. As the content of dicetylphosphate, the negative charged phospholipid, was increased, the osmotic activity, represented by Z-value, of multilamellar liposome was decreased. Using the hypertonic conditions (shrinking region), Z-value steadily increased and reached a maximum at 10 mole percent cholesterol with increasing the cholesterol content.

• Journal of Photoscience
• /
• v.7 no.2
• /
• pp.63-66
• /
• 2000

A study of the interaction between lysozyme and phospholipid liposomes is essential for a systematic approach for understanding the action mechanism of lysozyme. So we want to clarify the interactions of lysozyme with phospholipid liposmes. We observed that lysozyme more interacts with negatively charged liposomes than with neutral liposome. More hydroxy groups of the phospholipid was very important on that interactions. We recognized the importance of electrostatic interactions in the process of fusion induced by lysozyme. As indicated by UV/Vis experiments, leakage and fusion are two uncoupled process.