Background: Cancer gene therapy is now being developing to provide new strategies for the treatment of human tumors. Cationic lipids represent one of the powerful mediators for DNA delivery. The liposome-plasmid DNA complex itself is known to inhibit tumor cell growth, but other effects on cancer cell behaviors have not been reported so far.
Materials and methods: Six commercially available cationic liposomes complexed with plasmid DNA were applied to cancer cells and their metastatic potentials were measured.
Results: The liposome-plasmid DNA complexes affected metastatic capability in three different ways: TM-TPS:DOPE and DOTAP:DOPE had no effect on metastatic capability; a suppressive effect was observed in DOSPA:DOPE and DMRIE:cholesterol; while an augmentative effect was observed in DOTMA:DOPE and Effectene. These effects are likely to be DNA sequence independent, because different plasmids have the same effects.
Conclusion: Liposome-plasmid DNA complexes influence cancer metastasis capability, dependent upon the cationic liposome formulations.