The development of nanocarrier delivery systems opened new opportunities in the nano-technology field. Liposomes, possessing useful characteristics including their biocompatibility, stability in colloidal solutions and biodegradability are appropriate candidates for drug delivery applications. Vascular endothelial growth factors (VEGF) and their receptors (VEGFR) play a key role in the development of angiogenesis in physiological and pathological conditions such as wound healing and cancer, respectively. To overcome the delivery problems (e.g. drug half-life, cellular uptake, rate of release and efficacy) of VEGF/VEGFRs and their inhibitors, many studies focussed on the use of liposomes as nanocarrier drug delivery system. In this review we aim to describe the state-of-the-art targeting of VEGF/VEGFR and delivery of its inhibitors with liposomal nanocarriers. The lessons from this technology of liposomal nanocarriers should be instructive for scientists developing nano-encapsulation and delivery systems and those focussing on tissue engineering and innovative cancer therapy applications.
Keywords: VEGF; angiogenesis; drug delivery; liposomes; nano-carriers; nanoparticles.