Contruction of transferrin-peg-liposomes for intracellular drug delivery in solid tumor in vivo

摘要

Drug delivery to a specific site by liposomes represents a potentially attractive mode of cancer therapy. Transferrin (TF), an iron-transporting serum glycoprotein, is efficiently taken up into cells by the process of receptor-mediated endocytosis. Transferrin receptor are found on the surface of most proliferating cells, in elevated numbers on many kinds of tumors. Recently, RES-avoiding, long-circulating liposomes have been prepared by coating the liposome surface with amphipathic polyethylene glycols (PEG). These long-circulating liposomes showed significantly greater accumulation in solid tumor. Since the capillary permeability of the endothelial barrier in newly vascularized tumors is significantly greater than that of normal organs, the higher concentration and longer blood residence time of PEG-liposomes could extravasate effectively. The aim of this study is to construct the liposomal formulation for intracellular delivery system in solid tumor in vivo by the combination of TF and PEG-liposome.