Polydopamine-coated liposomes as pH-sensitive anticancer drug carriers

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Nanotechnology
• Drug Delivery Systems

Background:

• Stimuli-responsive drug carriers are crucial for effective chemotherapy.
• Developing targeted drug delivery systems can improve therapeutic outcomes.
• Liposomes and polydopamine offer promising properties for drug encapsulation and controlled release.

Purpose of the Study:

• To fabricate and characterize pH-sensitive polydopamine-protected liposomes (liposome@PDA) as drug delivery systems.
• To investigate the drug release profile of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) from liposome@PDA carriers at various pH values.
• To evaluate the in vitro cytotoxicity of 5-FU-loaded liposome@PDA capsules against cancer cells.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of pH-sensitive liposome@PDA drug delivery systems.
• Characterization using microscopy, SEM, UV-vis spectroscopy, and FTIR.
• Loading of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) into the liposome@PDA capsules.
• In vitro drug release studies at different pH conditions (pH 7.42, 6.87, 4.11, 3.16).
• In vitro cytotoxicity assays using cancer cell lines at pH 6.87.

Main Results:

• Liposome@PDA capsules were successfully fabricated and characterized.
• 5-FU release from liposome@PDA showed significant pH-dependency, with higher release at lower pH values (e.g., 76.7% at pH 3.16).
• 5-FU-loaded liposome@PDA capsules demonstrated superior in vitro cytotoxicity compared to free 5-FU at pH 6.87, reducing cell viability to 21.63% vs 50.56% at 1.5 μM concentration.

Conclusions:

• Liposome@PDA capsules exhibit pH-sensitive drug release properties, making them suitable for targeted chemotherapy.
• The enhanced cytotoxicity of drug-loaded capsules indicates improved drug delivery to cancer cells.
• These pH-sensitive liposome@PDA carriers hold significant potential for advanced biomedical applications in cancer therapy.