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Pharm Res (2014) 31:554565 DOI 10.1007/s11095-013-1180-7
RESEARCH PAPER
Near-Infrared Light-Sensitive Liposomes for the Enhanced Photothermal Tumor Treatment by the Combination with Chemotherapy
Jian You & Peizun Zhang & Fuqiang Hu & Yongzhong Du & Hong Yuan & Jiang Zhu & Zuhua Wang & Jialin Zhou & Chun Li
Received: 22 May 2013 /Accepted: 9 August 2013 /Published online: 11 September 2013 # Springer Science+Business Media New York 2013
ABSTRACTPurpose To develop a near-infrared (NIR) light-sensitive lipo-some, which contains hollow gold nanospheres (HAuNS) and doxorubicin (DOX), and evaluate their potential utility for enhancing antitumor activity and controlling drug release. Methods The liposomes (DOX&HAuNS-TSL) were designed based on a thermal sensitive liposome (TSL) formulation, and hydrophobically modified HAuNS were attached onto the membrane of the liposomes. The behavior of DOX release from the liposomes was investigated by the dialysis, diffusion in agarose gel and cellular uptake of the drug. The biodistribution of DOX&HAuNSTSL was assessed by i.v. injection in tumor-bearing nude mice. Antitumor efficacy was evaluated both histologically using excised tissue and intuitively by measuring the tumor size and weight. Results Rapid and repetitive DOX release from the liposomes (DOX&HAuNS-TSL), could be readily achieved upon NIR laser irradiation. The treatment of tumor cells with DOX&HAuNS-TSL followed by NIR laser irradiation showed significantly greater cytotoxicity than the treatment with DOX&HAuNS-TSL alone, DOXTSL alone (chemotherapy alone) and HAuNS-TSL plus NIR laser irradiation (Photothermal ablation, PTA, alone). In vivo antitumor
study indicated that the combination of simultaneous photothermal and chemotherapeutic effect mediated by DOX&HAuNS-TSL plus NIR laser presented a significantly higher antitumor efficacy than the PTA alone mediated by HAuNS-TSL plus NIR laser irradiation. Conclusions Our study could be as the valuable reference and direction for the clinical application of PTA in tumor therapy.
KEY WORDS controlled release . light sensitive liposomes . photothermal effect
INTRODUCTION
Photothermal ablation (PTA) uses heat generated through absorption of near-infrared light (NIR) to directly destroy tissue. So far, several kinds of gold nanoparticles, such as gold-silica nanoshells (1,2), gold nanorods (3), gold nanocages (4) and gold colloidal nanospheres (5), have been used as photothermal conducting agent to ablate tumors. To treat a tumor, gold nanoparticles are systemically administered to the subject and allowed to localize to the tumor. The tumor is then exposed to...