Cancer targeting with liposomes

Demirovic, A. M., Marty, C., Console, S., Zeisberger, S. M., Ruch, C., Jaussi, R., Schwendener, R. A., and Ballmer-Hofer, K. (2005), Targeting human cancer cells with VEGF receptor-2-directed liposomes, Oncol. Rept., 13, 319-324. 

Matzku, S. Krempel, H. Weckenmann, H.P. Schirrma-cher, V. Sinn, H. Strieker, H. Tumour targeting with antibody-coupled liposomes failure to achieve accumulation in xenografts and spontaneous liver metastases. Cancer Immunol. Immunother. 1990, 31, 285-291. 

Small pegylated liposomes have been shown to extravasate into tumors with leaky vasculature, and the prolonged circulation half-life has a positive effect on the extravasation. Passive tumor targeting of liposomes was visualized in a study of radio-labeled PEG-liposomes in patients with locally advanced cancers, and whole body gamma camera imaging was used to monitor biodistribution and tumor localization. Of 17 patients treated with In-DTPA (Diethylenetri-aminepentaacetic acid) labeled PEG-liposomes, tumor... 

Liposomes have emerged as efficient drug delivery systems for anticancer agents. A liposomal formulation of doxorubicin, Caelyx , is used in routine clinical use for cancer treatment (1,2). Compared with free doxorubicin, Caelyx provides preferred accumulation in tumors and consequently reduced side effects. Caelyx is a non-targeted stealth liposome formulation of encapsulated doxorubicin. Due to a long circulation half-life, Caelyx accumulates in tumors by the EPR (enhanced permeability and... 

Ikegami S, Yamakami K, Ono T, et al. Targeting gene therapy for prostate cancer cells by liposomes complexed with antiprostate-specific membrane antigen monoclonal antibody. Hum Gene Ther. 2006 17 997. 

Shimizu K, Sawazaki Y, Tanaka T, Asai T, Oku N. Chronopharmacologic cancer treatment with an angiogenic vessel-targeted liposomal drug. Biol Pharm Bull 2008 31 95-98. 

Recently, stealth liposomes functionalized with PR b were used for the targeted delivery of therapeutics to colon cancer cells (Garg and Kokkoli, 2011 Garg et al., 2009) and prostate cancer cells (Demirgoz et al., 2008). In these studies, PR b-functionalized stealth liposomes loaded with a chemotherapy agent were more effective than RGD-functionalized stealth liposomes or non-targeted stealth liposomes in terms of cell adhesion, internalization, and cancer-cell toxicity (Figure 3). 

Liposomes The pH-sensitive liposomes so developed were able 56 to overcome the three main problems associated with liposomes, i.e., low stability, slow drug release and accumulation In liver/spleen. The ECM targeting liposome could prevent protein adsorption and drug leakage from liposome due to the biotin 2-PEG cross-linker located on interface of liposome. The uptake within the cancer cell is improved and could actively target tumor in tumor ECM to increase tumor accumulation. Also the drug release was enhanced at low pH, thus the potential bioavailability and drug resistance problem are also avoided. 

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