Assessment of laser-induced release of drugs from liposomes: an in vitro study

We evaluated the characteristics of laser-induced release of an antimetabolite (cytosine arabinoside) from temperature-sensitive liposomes. Previous work had shown that a laser would induce breakdown of liposomes when a dye was encapsulated within the liposomes. The present investigation was performed to determine if release could be induced from liposomes that did not contain dye. In vitro, dynamic studies of the release of the drug from liposomes diluted in blood (flowing in a capillary tube at 40 microns/min) were conducted using an argon dye laser operating either in the blue-green mode (488/514 nm) or in the dye mode (577 nm). A radio-labeled marker was used to monitor the drug release. The results showed that the drug could indeed be released from liposomes that did not contain dye, at energy levels that are not likely to be harmful to the tissue. At identical power levels, the release of the drug was greater at 577 nm than at 488/514 nm, probably owing to the greater light absorbance of hemoglobin at the longer wavelength. The results indicate the potential for the site-specific release of a variety of molecules in the ocular vasculature.