Tomoko Takizawa

Targetability of novel immunoliposomes modified with amphipathic poly(ethylene glycol) s conjugated at their distal terminals to monoclonal antibodies

Distearoyl-N-(3-carboxypropionoyl poly(ethylene glycol) succinyl)phosphatidylethanolamine (DSPE-PEG-COOH) was newly synthesized and used to prepare novel immunoliposomes carrying monoclonal antibodies at the distal ends of the PEG chains (Type C). Liposomes were prepared from egg phosphatidylcholine (ePC) and cholesterol (CH) (2;1, m/m) containing 6 mol% of DSPE-PEG-COOH, and a monoclonal IgG antibody, 34A, which is highly specific to pulmonary endothelial cells, was conjugated to the carboxyl groups of DSPE-PEG-COOH to give various amounts of antibody molecules per liposome. Other immunoliposomes with PEG coating (Type B) or without PEG coating (an earlier type of immunoliposome, Type A) were prepared for comparison. The average molecular weight of PEG in Type B or C immunoliposomes was 2000. Type B and Type C liposomes without antibodies showed prolonged circulation time and reduced reticulo-endothelial system (RES) uptake owing to the presence of PEG. These three different types of 34A-immunoliposomes with 30-35 antibody molecules per vesicle were injected into mice to test the immunotargetability to the lung. The efficiency of lung binding of 34A-Type B was one-half of that of 34A-Type A, though a large amount of 34A-Type B remained in the blood circulation for a long time, suggesting that the steric hindrance of PEG chains reduced not only the immunospecific antibody-antigen binding, but also the RES uptake. The degree of lung binding of 34A-Type C was about 1.3-fold higher than that of 34A-Type A, indicating that recognition by the antibodies attached to the PEG terminal was not sterically hindered and that the free PEG (i.e., that not carrying antibody) was effective in increasing the blood concentration of immunoliposomes by enabling them to evade RES uptake. The latter phenomenon was confirmed by using nonspecific antibody-Type C immunoliposomes (14-Type C), which showed a high blood level for a long time. Our approach provides a simple means of conjugating antibodies directly to the distal end of PEG which is already bound to the liposome membrane, and should contribute to the development of superior targetable drug delivery vehicles for use in diagnostics and therapy.

Delivery of siRNA into the cytoplasm by liposomal bubbles and ultrasound

Small interfering RNA (siRNA) is expected to be a novel therapeutic tool, however, its utilization has been limited by inefficient delivery systems. Recently, we have developed novel polyethyleneglycol modified liposomes (Bubble liposomes; BL) entrapping an ultrasound (US) imaging gas, which can work as a gene delivery tool with US exposure. In this study, we investigated whether the BL were suitable for the delivery of siRNA. BL efficiently delivered siRNA with only 10 s of exposure to US in vitro. Specific gene silencing effects could be achieved well even in the presence of serum or with the disruption of endocytosis. We suggest that siRNA is directly introduced into the cytoplasm by the BL and US and the mechanism enables effective transfection within a short time and in the presence of high serum. Transfection of siRNA into the tibialis muscles with BL and US was also performed. The gene-silencing effect could be sustained for more than 3 weeks. Thus, BL could be a useful siRNA delivery tool in vitro and in vivo.

Targeting efficiency of PEG-immunoliposome-conjugated antibodies at PEG terminals

Abstract We have developed a new type of PEG-immunoliposome carrying monoclonal antibodies or their fragments (F(ab′)2, Fab′) at the distal ends of the PEG chains (Type C). Distearoylphosphatidylethanolamine derivatives of PEG with car☐yl group (DSPE-PEG-COOH) or dipalmitoyl phosphatidylethanolamine derivatives of PEG with maleimidyl group (DPPE-PEG-Mal) at the PEG terminal were newly synthesized. Small unilamellar liposomes (90–130 nm in diameter) were prepared from distearoyl phosphatidylcholine and cholesterol (2:1, m/m) containing 6 mol% of DSPE-PEG-COOH or DPPE-PEG-Mal. To target to the vascular endothelial lung surface as a model accessible site, 34A antibody, which is highly specific to mouse pulmonary endothelial cells, was conjugated to PEG-liposome (34A-Type C). The degree of lung binding of 34A-Type C in BALB/c mice was significantly higher than that of the 34A-Type A which is an ordinary type immunoliposome (without PEG derivatives). To target to the solid tumor tissue as a model of the less accessible site, 21B2 antibody which is anti-human CEA and its Fab′ fragment were used. The targeting ability of Fab′-Type C was examined by using CEA-positive human gastric cancer strain MKN-45 cells inoculated into BALB/c nu/nu mice. Fab′-Type C showed the low RES uptake and the long circulation time, and resulted in enhanced accumulation of the liposomes in the solid tumor. The small Fab′-Type C could predominantly pass through the leaky tumor endothelium by passive convective transport.

Targetability and intracellular delivery of anti-BCG antibody-modified, pH-sensitive fusogenic immunoliposomes to tumor cells.

We prepared tumor-specific immunoliposomes by coupling anti-BCG monoclonal antibodies to pH-sensitive fusogenic liposomes modified with succinylated polyglycidol (sucPG), in order to obtain efficient binding to, and endocytotic internalization into, the tumor cells. Mouse colon carcinoma 26 cells, which are known to share a common antigen with BCG, were used in in vitro experiments. BCG-sucPG immunoliposomes showed fusion ability under acidic conditions. Fluorescence microscopic observation indicated that BCG-sucPG immunoliposomes bound to colon 26 tumor cells and induced receptor-mediated endocytosis at 37 degrees C. Fusion assay by resonance energy transfer using N-(7-nitro-2-1,3-benzoxadiazol-4-yl) diacyl phosphatidylethanolamine and N-(lissamine rhodamine B sulfonyl) diacyl phosphatidylethanolamine suggested that fusion between BCG-sucPG immunoliposomes and endosomal and/or lysozomal membrane did occur. These results imply that the BCG-sucPG immunoliposomes transfer their content into the cytoplasm by fusing with the endosomal and/or lysozomal membrane after recognition of target cells and subsequent internalization into the cells by endocytosis.

Effective gene delivery with liposomal bubbles and ultrasound as novel non-viral system

We developed the novel liposomal bubbles (Bubble liposomes) containing ultrasound imaging gas, perfluoropropane. Bubble liposomes were made of pegylated liposomes and were smaller than conventional microbubbles. Bubble liposomes also had a function as imaging agents in cardiosonography. In addition, Bubble liposomes could deliver plasmid DNA into various types of cells in vitro without cytotoxicity by the combination of ultrasound. In vivo gene delivery, Bubble liposomes could deliver plasmid DNA into mouse femoral artery by the transdermally exposure of ultrasound. This transfection efficiency was more effectively than lipofection method. Interestingly, the gene expression was only observed at the site of ultrasound exposure. Therefore, we concluded that Bubble liposomes could be good tools to establish tissue-specific gene delivery system as well as ultrasound imaging agents.

Novel Immunoliposomes Modified with Amphipathic Polyethyleneglycols Conjugated at their Distal Terminals to Monoclonal Antibodies

Distearoyl-N-(3-carboxypropionoyl polyethyleneglycol succinyl) phosphatidylethanolamine (DSPE-PEG-COOH) was newly synthesized and used to prepare novel immunoliposomes carrying monoclonal antibodies at the distal ends of the PEG chains (Type C). Liposomes were prepared from egg phosphatidylcholine (ePC) and cholesterol (CH) (2:1, m/m) containing 6 mol% of DSPE-PEG-COOH, and a monoclonal IgG antibody, 34A, which is highly specific to pulmonary endothelial cells, was conjugated to the carboxyl groups of DSPE-PEG-COOH to give various amounts of antibody molecules per liposome. Type C liposomes without antibodies showed prolonged circulation time and reduced reticuloendothelial system (RES) uptake owing to the presence of PEG. The degree of lung binding of 34A-Type C was about 1.3-fold higher than that of 34A-conventional immunoliposomes (34A-Type A), indicating that recognition by the antibodies attached to the PEG terminal was not sterically hindered and that the free PEG (i.e., that not carrying antibody) was effective in increasing the blood concentration of immunoliposomes by enabling them to evade RES uptake. Our approach provides a simple means of conjugating antibodies directly to the distal end of PEG which is already bound to the liposome membrane, and should contribute to the development of superior targetable drug delivery vehicles for use in diagnostics and therapy.

Enhancement of ultrasonic thrombus imaging using novel liposomal bubbles targeting activated platelet glycoprotein IIb/IIIa complex—in vitro and in vivo study

BACKGROUND We developed perfluorocarbon gas-containing bubble liposomes (BL) with Arg-Gly-Asp (RGD) sequence-containing peptides, which bind to activated platelet glycoprotein IIb/IIIa complexes. The aim of this study was to examine the enhancing effects in ultrasonic thrombus imaging using these targeted BL in vitro and in vivo. METHODS Liposomes composed of phosphatidylcholine and cholesterol were manufactured, and RGD peptide was attached by a covalent coupling reaction. Sonication was used to conjugate liposomes and perfluorocarbon gas, which formed targeted BL. In vitro, targeted BL were mixed with whole blood, which was allowed to coagulate while being shaken and rotated. In vivo, we administered targeted BL to 10 rabbits with acute thrombotic occlusions in the ilio-femoral artery. Thrombi were imaged using a 7.5-9 MHz linear transducer and a conventional ultrasound machine, and by scanning electron microscopy. Ultrasound images were digitized, and mean pixel gray-scale level (black = 0, white = 255) was measured. RESULTS In vitro, mean pixel gray-scale level of the thrombi in targeted BL group was significantly higher than in control and non-targeted BL groups (93 ± 26 vs. 58 ± 16, 48 ± 9, p = 0.002, n = 10). Scanning electron microscopy revealed large amounts of targeted BL attached to the thrombi. In vivo, mean pixel gray-scale level of the thrombi with targeted BL was significantly higher (33.2 ± 6.4 vs. 24.8 ± 8.5, p = 0.0051, n = 10) than that before targeted BL administration. CONCLUSIONS Perfluorocarbon gas-containing BL with RGD peptide represent a novel echo contrast agent, which can markedly enhance ultrasonic thrombus imaging in vitro and in vivo, and may be useful for noninvasively diagnosing acute thrombotic vessel occlusion.

Development of the Liposomes Entrapped Ultrasound Imaging Gas (“Bubble Liposomes”) as Novel Gene Delivery Carriers

Recently, microbubbles and ultrasound have been investigated with a view to improving the transfection efficiency of nonviral delivery systems for gene by cavitation. However, microbubbles had some problems in terms of stability and targeting ability. To solve these problems, we paid attention to liposomes that had many advantages such as stable and safe in vivo and easy to modify targeting ligand. Previously, we have represented that liposomes are good drug and gene delivery carriers. In addition, we developed that the liposomes (“Bubble liposomes”) were entrapped with perfluoropropane known as ultrasound imaging gas. In this study, we assessed about feasibility of “Bubble liposomes” as gene delivery tool utilized cavitation by ultrasound irradiation. “Bubble liposomes” could effectively deliver plasmid DNA to cells by combination of ultrasound irradiation without cyototoxicity. This result suggested that “Bubble liposomes” might be a new class of tool for gene delivery.

Development of Liposomal Bubbles with Perfluoropropane Gas as Gene Delivery Carriers

Liposomes have some advantages as drug, antigen and gene delivery carriers. Their size can be easily controlled and they can be modified to add a targeting function. Based on liposome technology, we developed novel liposomal bubbles (Bubble liposomes) containing the ultrasound imaging gas, perfluoropropane. We assessed the feasibility of Bubble liposomes as carriers for gene delivery after cavitation induced by ultrasound. At first, we investigated their ability to deliver genes with Bubble liposomes and ultrasound to various types of cells such as mouse sarcoma cells, mouse melanoma cells, human T cell line and human umbilical vein endothelial cells. The results showed that the Bubble liposomes could deliver plasmid DNA to many cell types without cytotoxicity. In addition, we found that Bubble liposomes could effectively deliver plasmid DNA into mouse femoral artery in vivo. The gene transduction with Bubble liposomes was more effectively than conventional lipofection. We conclude that Bubble liposomes a...

Targetability of PEG-immunoliposomes in vivo and the preparation of adriamycin encapsulated PEG-immunoliposomes

Drug delivery to specific cells by immunoliposomes represents a potentially attractive mode of therapy. However, though immunoliposomes are effective in specific binding to target cells in vitro, their targeting efficiency in vivo is relatively low. We have recently developed a new type of long-circulating immunoliposomes (Type C) which can effectively bind to the designated target site in vivo. This was achieved by the use of newly synthesized DSPE-PEG-COOH to couple antibodies directly to the distal terminal of PEG chains, which allow the liposome to evade the RES uptake and achieve prolonged circulation. Liposomes were prepared from ePC and CH (2 : 1, m/m)containing 6 mol% of DSPE-PEG-COOH, and a monoclonal IgG antibody, 34A, which is highly specific to pulmonary endothelial cells, was conjugated to the carboxyl groups of DSPE-PEG-COOH to give various amount of antibody molecules per liposome. PEG-COOH-liposomes without antibodies showed prolonged circulation time and reduced RES uptake owing to the presence of PEG. The degree of lung binding of 34A-Type C was increased with increasing coupling amount of antibody. Antibody density is an important factor for target binding. We established the preparation of adriamycin (ADR) encapsulated 34A-Type C immunoliposomes. ADR encapsulation was done by employing an ammonium sulfate (AS) gradient method. PEG-COOH liposomes were prepared in 120 mM AS and attached 34A to make 34A-Type C. External medium of liposome was replaced to 120 μM AS for the creation of AS gradient between inside and outside of liposome membrane and ADR solution was added into external medium. The ADR loading efficiency was 95%. ADR level in lung after i.v. injection of ADR-34A-Type C was much higher than that of control ADR liposome and free ADR.