Long-circulating, pH-sensitive liposomes

Methods Mol Biol. 2010:605:527-44. doi: 10.1007/978-1-60327-360-2_35.

Abstract

A major limiting factor for the wide application of pH-sensitive liposomes is their recognition and sequestration by the phagocytes of the reticulo-endothelial system, which conditions a very short circulation half-life. Typically prolonged circulation of liposomes is achieved by grafting their membranes with pegylated phospholipids (PEG-lipids), which have been shown, however, to deteriorate membrane integrity on one hand and to hamper the pH-responsiveness on the other. Hence, the need for novel alternative surface modifying agents to ensure effective half-life prolongation of pH-sensitive liposomes is a subject of intensive research. A series of copolymers having short blocks of lipid-mimetic units has been shown to sterically stabilize conventional liposomes based on different phospholipids. This has prompted us to broaden their utilization to pH-sensitive liposomes, too. The present contribution gives thorough account on the chemical synthesis of these copolymers their incorporation in DOPE:CHEMs pH-sensitive liposomes and detailed explanation on the battery of techniques for the biopharmaceutical characterization of the prepared formulations in terms of pH-responsiveness, cellular internalization, in vivo pharmacokinetics and biodistribution.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cholesterol Esters / chemistry*
  • Half-Life
  • Hydrogen-Ion Concentration
  • Liposomes / chemistry*
  • Liposomes / pharmacokinetics*
  • Male
  • Molecular Structure
  • Phosphatidylethanolamines / chemistry*
  • Rats
  • Rats, Wistar

Substances

  • 1,2-dioleoyl-glycero-3-phosphatidyl ethanolamine
  • Cholesterol Esters
  • Liposomes
  • Phosphatidylethanolamines
  • cholesteryl succinate