Preparation, characterization, and pharmacodynamics of thermosensitive liposomes containing docetaxel

A novel thermosensitive liposome (TL) containing docetaxel (DTX) was designed to enhance DTX-targeted delivery and antitumor effect. TL loading DTX (DTX-TL) were prepared by thin film hydration. The mean particle size of the liposomes was about 100 nm, and the drug entrapment efficiency was more than 95%. The phase transition temperature of liposomes was about 42 °C. In vitro drug release showed that drug released at 37 °C was obviously less than that at 42 °C. For in vivo experiments, the human breast tumor model was established by subcutaneous xenotransplantation on nude mice; liposomes and injection containing DTX were injected i.v. in nude mice, followed by exposure of the tumors to hyperthermia (HT) for 30 min after administration. The tumor inhibition ratio of DTX-TL group was significantly higher than the normal injection group. Combining TL with HT enhanced the delivery of DTX and thereby its antitumor effects. The liposomes reported in this paper could potentially produce viable clinical strategies for improved targeting and delivery of DTX for the treatment of breast cancer.