Delivery of hydrophilic drug doxorubicin hydrochloride-targeted liver using apoAI as carrier

J Drug Target. 2013 May;21(4):367-74. doi: 10.3109/1061186X.2012.757769. Epub 2013 Apr 19.

Abstract

High-density lipoprotein (HDL) particles can deliver cholesterol from peripheral tissues to the liver through apolipoprotein A1 (Apo A1), which specifically binds to the scavenger receptor class B type 1 (SR-B1) receptor on the surface of hepatocytes. Therefore, ApoA1 can be potentially used to target drugs to the liver. In this study, we successfully loaded doxorubicin hydrochloride (Dox or Dox-HCl), which is a hydrophilic drug used in a wide variety of clinical applications, into the core of reconstituted HDL (rHDL prepared by apoAI and egg phospholipids) to form a doxorubicin-HDL complex (rHDL-Dox). The MTT assays showed that rHDL-Dox particles also had higher cytotoxicity against several cells lines compared to free drug or Dox encapsulated into liposomes. A cellular uptake assay demonstrated that rHDL-Dox had higher absorption in SR-BI receptor positive liver cells. Importantly, in vivo experiments showed that rHDL-Dox can reduce tumor growth more effectively than liposomes. In addition, an in vitro hemolysis assay showed that rHDL-Dox caused only limited hemolysis in the case of high doses. Taken together, our findings indicate that rHDL is a safe and effective drug delivery system for targeting liver.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antibiotics, Antineoplastic / administration & dosage
  • Antibiotics, Antineoplastic / chemistry
  • Antibiotics, Antineoplastic / pharmacokinetics
  • Apolipoprotein A-I / administration & dosage*
  • Apolipoprotein A-I / chemistry
  • Apolipoprotein A-I / pharmacokinetics
  • Carrier Proteins / administration & dosage*
  • Carrier Proteins / chemistry
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Doxorubicin / administration & dosage*
  • Doxorubicin / chemistry
  • Doxorubicin / pharmacokinetics
  • Drug Carriers / administration & dosage*
  • Drug Carriers / chemistry
  • Drug Carriers / pharmacokinetics
  • Drug Delivery Systems / methods
  • Hep G2 Cells
  • Humans
  • Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions
  • Lipoproteins, HDL / administration & dosage
  • Lipoproteins, HDL / chemistry
  • Lipoproteins, HDL / pharmacokinetics
  • Liposomes / administration & dosage
  • Liposomes / chemistry
  • Liver / drug effects*
  • Liver / metabolism*
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Mice, Nude

Substances

  • Antibiotics, Antineoplastic
  • Apolipoprotein A-I
  • Carrier Proteins
  • Drug Carriers
  • Lipoproteins, HDL
  • Liposomes
  • Doxorubicin