Mitochondriotropic liposomes

For the design of mitochondriotropic liposomes, we have used a method, that has been a standard procedure in liposome technology for over 30 years the lipid-mediated anchoring of artificially hydrophobized water-soluble molecules into liposomal membranes (25-28). We have hydrophobized mitochondriotropic TPP cations by conjugating them to long alkyl residues specifically, we have synthesized stearyl TPP (STPP) salts (29). Following liposome preparation in the presence of STPP, the liposomal surface became covalently modified with TPP cations, thereby rendering these liposomes mitochondriotropic as verified in vitro by fluorescence microscopy (30). 

Mitochondriotropic liposomes as well as DQAsomes and DQAsome-like vesicles represent the first mitochondria-targeted colloidal drug and DNA delivery systems. Their further exploration holds promise to open up new ways for the treatment of cancer and a multitude of mitochondrial diseases. 

Boddapati SV, Tongcharoensirikul P, Hanson RN, D Souza G, Torchilin VP, Weissig V. Mitochondriotropic liposomes. J Liposome Res. 

An interesting example of intracellular targeting of liposomes was described recently, when liposomes containing in their membrane composition mitochonriotropic amphiphilic cation with delocalized positive charge were shown to specifically target mitochondria in inact cells (153). The liposomes were deemed mitochondriotropic due to inclusion of lipidic analogues of triphenylphosphonium cations, which facilitates the efficient subcellular delivery of proapototic ceramide to mitochondria of mammalian cells and improves its activity in vitro and in vivo (154). 

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