Engineered liposomes and virosomes for delivery of macromolecules

Res Virol. 1995 Jul-Aug;146(4):289-93. doi: 10.1016/0923-2516(96)80574-7.

Abstract

In order to utilize virosomes or proteoliposomes for the delivery of drugs or macromolecules to specific pathologic target cells we elaborated a system to shuttle drugs to solid tissue (liver) as well as to the macrophages, a crucial cellular compartment of the immune system. Using virosomes prepared from the P3HR1 strain of Epstein-Barr virus, we demonstrated that these particles fused with human hepatocarcinoma cell line Li7A and therefore might be used as drug vectors. Furthermore, we report that proteoliposomes prepared by reconstituting in a cocktail of phosphatidylserine-phosphatidylcholine the anion transporter band 3 protein markedly increased the phagocytic activity of macrophages in culture. This could represent a new device to be used as a drug delivery system to enhance specific macrophagic functions.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Anion Exchange Protein 1, Erythrocyte
  • Drug Delivery Systems*
  • Fluorescent Antibody Technique
  • Herpesvirus 4, Human*
  • Humans
  • Liposomes*
  • Macrophages / physiology
  • Membrane Fusion
  • Phagocytosis
  • Proteolipids
  • Tumor Cells, Cultured
  • Viral Envelope Proteins / metabolism

Substances

  • Anion Exchange Protein 1, Erythrocyte
  • Liposomes
  • Proteolipids
  • Viral Envelope Proteins
  • proteoliposomes