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Published on: July 23, 2016
Immunoliposomes doubly targeted to transferrin receptor and to α-synuclein
Joana A Loureiro1, Bárbara Gomes1, Manuel An Coelho1
1LEPABE, Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering of the University of Porto, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal; LEPABE, Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering of the University of Porto, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal.
Aim:
The present study was designed to test the cellular uptake of PEGylated liposomes targeted to transferrin receptor and to α-synuclein by a cell model of the blood-brain barrier (BBB).
Materials & Methods:
PEGylated immunoliposomes were prepared with anti-transferrin receptor OX26 and anti-α-synuclein LB509 antibodies to overcome the BBB in Parkinson's disease.
Results:
The doubly targeted immunoliposomes bind to transferrin receptor and to α-synuclein protein, as assessed by ELISA assays. We establish that 40% of an encapsulated tested drug (epigallocatechin-3-gallate) is released in a time frame of 44 h, which is reasonable for sustained release. The cellular uptake of doubly targeted immunoliposomes in cultured brain endothelial cells hCMEC/D3 was two-times more efficient than that of PEGylated liposomes.
Conclusion:
Immunoliposomes targeted to BBB receptors and to α-synuclein could potentially enable the transport of drugs across the BBB and reach one of the drug targets in Parkinson's disease.

