Delivering minocycline into brain endothelial cells with liposome-based technology

Minocycline has been proposed as a way to blunt neurovascular injury from matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) during stroke. However, recent clinical trials suggest that high levels of minocycline may have deleterious side-effects. Here, we showed that very high minocycline concentrations damage endothelial cells via calpain/caspase pathways. To alleviate this potential cytotoxicity, we encapsulated minocycline in liposomes. Low concentrations of minocycline could not reduce tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα)-induced MMP-9 release from endothelial cells. But low concentrations of minocycline-loaded liposomes significantly reduced TNFα-induced MMP-9 release. This study provides proof-of-concept that liposomes may be used to deliver lower levels of minocycline for targeting MMPs in cerebral endothelium.