Synergistic dual-ligand doxorubicin liposomes improve targeting and therapeutic efficacy of brain glioma in animals

Mol Pharm. 2014 Jul 7;11(7):2346-57. doi: 10.1021/mp500057n. Epub 2014 Jun 11.

Abstract

Therapeutic outcome for the treatment of glioma was often limited due to low permeability of delivery systems across the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and poor penetration into the tumor tissue. In order to overcome these hurdles, we developed the dual-targeting doxorubicin liposomes conjugated with cell-penetrating peptide (TAT) and transferrin (T7) (DOX-T7-TAT-LIP) for transporting drugs across the BBB, then targeting brain glioma, and penetrating into the tumor. The dual-targeting effects were evaluated by both in vitro and in vivo experiments. In vitro cellular uptake and three-dimensional tumor spheroid penetration studies demonstrated that the system could not only target endothelial and tumor monolayer cells but also penetrate tumor to reach the core of the tumor spheroids and inhibit the growth of the tumor spheroids. In vivo imaging further demonstrated that T7-TAT-LIP provided the highest tumor distribution. The median survival time of tumor-bearing mice after administering DOX-T7-TAT-LIP was significantly longer than those of the single-ligand doxorubicin liposomes and free doxorubicin. In conclusion, the dual-ligand liposomes comodified with T7 and TAT possessed strong capability of synergistic targeted delivery of payload into tumor cells both in vitro and in vivo, and they were able to improve the therapeutic efficacy of brain glioma in animals.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Biological Transport / drug effects
  • Blood-Brain Barrier / drug effects
  • Brain Neoplasms / drug therapy*
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cell-Penetrating Peptides / administration & dosage
  • Cell-Penetrating Peptides / chemistry
  • Doxorubicin / administration & dosage
  • Doxorubicin / analogs & derivatives*
  • Doxorubicin / chemistry
  • Drug Delivery Systems / methods
  • Glioma / drug therapy*
  • Ligands
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Polyethylene Glycols / administration & dosage
  • Polyethylene Glycols / chemistry
  • Transferrin / administration & dosage
  • Transferrin / chemistry

Substances

  • Cell-Penetrating Peptides
  • Ligands
  • Transferrin
  • liposomal doxorubicin
  • Polyethylene Glycols
  • Doxorubicin