88 research outputs found
Receptor versus non-receptor mediated clearance of liposomes
Numerous studies have appeared over the years dealing with liposome-cell interaction mechanisms, most of them performed under in vitro conditions with isolated cell populations or cell lines. It is remarkable that, nonetheless, there hardly seem to exist established and generally accepted views on how precisely liposomes interact with cells and by what parameters this is influenced. In this article we will summarize and discuss the most relevant studies (in our opinion) on this matter in relation to in vivo conditions and with special attention to the relation between scavenger, complement and PS receptors. Researchers in the field have long been aware of the interaction of liposomes with blood proteins and their potential involvement in the process of liposome elimination from the blood circulation. A few of these 'opsonizing' proteins have been identified, but it is not clear to what extent each of them determines the fate of the liposome in the blood stream and how liposomal parameters such as size, charge and rigidity play a role in this process. We will include in this article our own recent observations on a thus far largely ignored class of such liposomal 'opsonins', the apolipoproteins. This class of plasma proteins, which physiologically are instrumental in hepatic lipoprotein clearance and processing, has been shown to contribute specifically to hepatocyte-mediated uptake of liposomes. Separately, as opposed to the fate of plain liposomes, we briefly touch on the clearance of surface-modified liposomes, which are designed to actively target specific cells or tissues. Plasma proteins are not usually supposed to play a significant role in the clearance of such liposomes. We will summarize these studies and address in this connection the question of how plasma proteins may interfere with such active targeting attempts. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V
Liposome opsonization
Adsorption of serum proteins to the liposomal surface plays a critical role in the clearance of liposomes from the blood circulation. In this review, we will discuss the role of the liposomal opsonins proposed so far in liposome clearance. Additional, related topics that will be addressed are the cell-surface receptors that might be involved in liposome elimination from the blood compartment and the effect of poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) modification on prevention of liposome opsonization
Interference of macrophages with immunotargeting of liposomes
We investigated the binding, uptake and intracellular degradation of immunoliposomes by isolated rat liver macrophages in vitro. Immunoliposomes were prepared either by coupling a randomly thiolated anti-CC531 rat colon adenocarcinoma monoclonal antibody to bilayer-incorporated MPB-PE by means of a thioether linkage or by attaching it through its F-c moiety to the distal terminus of hydrazide-modified PEG-DSPE. The two immunoliposome preparations clearly differ in their interaction with the tumor target cells, as well as with the macrophages. At comparable antibody densities both cell types show 1.5-2-fold higher levels of association for the Hz-PEG-immunoliposomes than for the MPB-PEG-immunoliposomes. We provide evidence that immunoliposome macrophage-interaction is both F-c-receptor and scavenger receptor mediated to about equal extents. At low antibody density the hydrazide immunoliposomes favor interaction with the tumor cells to that with macrophages. At higher antibody densities, on the other hand, interaction of these liposomes with the macrophages is increasingly favored, mostly due to enhanced scavenger receptor mediated uptake. The rate of intracellular degradation of (immuno)liposomes internalized by liver macrophages is barely influenced by the presence of either PEG or immunoglobulins on the liposomal surface
Uptake of liposomes containing phosphatidylserine by liver cells in vivo and by sinusoidal liver cells in primary culture: In vivo-in vitro differences
The interaction with liver cells of liposomes containing different mol fractions of phosphatidylserine was investigated in vivo and in vitro. Increasing the amount of liposomal phosphatidylserine from 10 to 30 mol% leads to a faster blood disappearance of the liposomes. Within the liver, which is mainly responsible for this elimination, these liposomes are only taken up by the hepatocytes and Kupffer cells. By contrast, sinusoidal endothelial cells, in vitro, do bind and internalize liposomes containing greater than or equal to 30% phosphatidylserine at least as actively as Kupffer cells. The uptake by endothelial and Kupffer cells is inhibited by poly-(inosinic acid) and other anionic macromolecules, suggesting the involvement of scavenger receptors. The lack of liposome uptake by endothelial cells under in vivo conditions can be attributed to plasma effects since addition of various sera caused severe reduction of in vitro uptake of liposomes. In vivo the phosphatidylserine head groups may be masked by plasma proteins adsorbed to the liposomal surface, thus preventing recognition by receptors, which are intrinsically able to recognize phosphatidylserine. (C) 1999 Academic Press
In vivo targeting of surface-modified liposomes to metastatically growing colon carcinoma cells and sinusoidal endothelial cells in the rat liver.
We prepared immunoliposomes by covalent coupling of a randomly thiolated monoclonal antibody against the rat colon adenocarcinoma cell line CC531 to MPB-PE on the outer surface of conventional as well as PEGylated liposomes of about 100-nm diameter. We attempted to target these immunoliposomes in vivo to CC531 cells growing metastatically in the liver of syngeneic rats. Only when the immunoliposomes contained PEG-DSPE, did we observe, both with fluorescent and radioactive labels, accumulation of label in many, but not all, metastatic nodules. The fluorescent label concentrated in scattered areas within the nodules. By means of transmission electronmicroscopy, using colloidal gold particles as an encapsulated morphological marker, we established that the large majority of the tumor-associated gold particles located in areas not containing tumor cells. Most of the gold was detected in cells with a macrophage morphology. We tentatively ascribe this to either tumor morphology or to the coupling procedure we applied for the preparation of the immunoliposomes, or both. The random thiolation step of the antibody molecule conceivably allows for the exposure of the Fc portion of (part of) the antibody molecules so as to permit interaction with Fe receptors on the macrophages. Experiments with immunoliposomes prepared either by coupling of the antibody specifically via its Fc portion or by using F(ab')(2) fragments are in progress. The crucial condition of liposomal longevity as in the above experiments, where PEG-ylation of the immunoliposomes was necessary in order to achieve accumulation in the tumor area, by no means represents a general requirement for successful liposome targeting. We have shown that for efficient liposome targeting to a cell population which is readily accessible from the circulation, and has a high affinity for the liposomes, i.c. the hepatic sinusoidal endothelial cells, the presence of PEG chains may even be counter-productive
The role of hepatocytes in the clearance of liposomes from the blood circulation
In this chapter we summarize literature and describe in more detail our own observations over a period of nearly two decennia on the role of hepatocytes in the hepatic clearance of intravenously administered liposomes, Evidence is presented indicating that, although size is an important parameter, it is not decisive in determining access of liposomes to the hepatocytes. Also lipid composition is an important parameter, including charge, rigidity and headgroup composition. The role of the fenestrated sinusoidal endothelial cells in determining liposome accessibility of hepatocytes is discussed as well as the involvement of opsonizing plasma proteins such as apolipoprotein E. Our observations led us to postulate the existence of at least four different mechanisms of interaction of liposomes with hepatocytes, i.e. an endocytic and a non-endocytic one for both neutral and negatively charged vesicles (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved
The role of hepatocytes in the clearance of liposomes from the blood circulation
In this chapter we summarize literature and describe in more detail our own observations over a period of nearly two decennia on the role of hepatocytes in the hepatic clearance of intravenously administered liposomes, Evidence is presented indicating that, although size is an important parameter, it is not decisive in determining access of liposomes to the hepatocytes. Also lipid composition is an important parameter, including charge, rigidity and headgroup composition. The role of the fenestrated sinusoidal endothelial cells in determining liposome accessibility of hepatocytes is discussed as well as the involvement of opsonizing plasma proteins such as apolipoprotein E. Our observations led us to postulate the existence of at least four different mechanisms of interaction of liposomes with hepatocytes, i.e. an endocytic and a non-endocytic one for both neutral and negatively charged vesicles (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.</p
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