Lactose mediated liver-targeting effect observed by ex vivo imaging technology

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Nanotechnology
• Drug Delivery

Background:

• Developing targeted drug delivery systems is crucial for improving therapeutic efficacy and reducing side effects.
• Micelles offer a promising platform for encapsulating and delivering therapeutic agents.
• Lactose conjugation can enhance the targeting of nanoparticles to specific cell types, such as liver cells.

Purpose of the Study:

• To prepare and characterize two types of Rhodamine B-loaded micelles: lactose-free (Lac-f) and lactose-containing (Lac+).
• To evaluate the cellular uptake and in vivo biodistribution of these micelles.
• To assess the liver-targeting potential of Lac+ micelles compared to Lac-f micelles.

Main Methods:

• Solvent evaporation method for micelle preparation.
• Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS) and Environmental Scanning Electron Microscopy (ESEM) for characterization.
• In vitro cellular uptake studies using SMMC7221 (liver cancer) and Vero cells.
• In vivo imaging studies in mice using a CRI Maestro 500FL system.

Main Results:

• Both Lac-f and Lac+ micelles exhibited similar sizes (60-100 nm) and size distributions.
• Lac+ micelles showed significantly higher endocytosis in SMMC7221 cells compared to Lac-f micelles.
• In vivo studies revealed a more pronounced liver-targeting effect for Lac+ micelles, established within approximately 12 hours post-injection.

Conclusions:

• Lactose-functionalized micelles enhance cellular uptake in liver cancer cells.
• Lac+ micelles demonstrate superior liver-targeting capabilities in vivo.
• The developed micelles show potential for targeted liver drug delivery applications.