ATP-containing immunoliposomes specific for cardiac myosin

The application of ATP-loaded liposomes has been shown effective against ischemic damage in several tissues. In this study, we have prepared ATP-containing liposomes capable of specific recognition of component (myosin) specific for ischemic myocardium. ATP-containing immunoliposomes specific towards cardiac myosin were obtained by the attachment of the monoclonal anti-cardiac myosin 2G4 antibody to the surface of ATP-containing PEGylated liposomes prepared by the freezing-thawing method. Since intracellular myosin is exposed only in the areas containing ischemically compromised cells with damaged plasmic membranes, such liposomes are expected to target these areas both in vitro and in vivo. The attachment of the antibody did not provoke their ATP release from the liposomes and only minimally influenced liposome size and size distribution. Liposome-attached anti-myosin 2G4 antibody preserved its specific activity; and anti-myosin antibody-bearing, ATP-loaded liposomes bound efficiently to the monolayer of myosin in ELISA. The preparation of myosin-specific ATP-loaded immunoliposomes represented an important step in the development of targeted delivery systems capable of providing energy support to ischemic myocardium in vivo.