Liposomes induce chromosome aberrations in human cultured cells

Area of Science:

• Cell Biology
• Genetics
• Toxicology

Background:

• Liposomes, including multilamellar lipid vesicles (MLV), are widely used in drug delivery and research.
• Understanding the potential genotoxic effects of MLV is crucial for their safe application.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the genotoxic potential of MLV on cultured human cells.
• To determine the dose-dependency and type of DNA damage induced by MLV.
• To compare the genotoxicity of MLV with different lipid compositions.

Main Methods:

• Culturing of heteroploid and diploid human cells.
• Treatment with various types of MLV (neutral, positive, negative).
• Analysis of cell survival, mitotic rate, and chromosome aberrations (breaks, exchanges, rearrangements).

Main Results:

• MLV treatment caused a dose-dependent reduction in cell survival and mitotic rate.
• Induction of chromatid and chromosome breaks, chromatid exchanges, and chromosome rearrangements was observed.
• Neutral (PC/Chol) and positive (PC/SA) MLV exhibited greater genotoxic effects than negative (PS/PC; PS) MLV.
• Fibroblasts demonstrated the highest sensitivity to MLV-induced genotoxicity.
• Control experiments confirmed that observed aberrations were not due to oxidation products in lipid preparations.

Conclusions:

• MLV possess genotoxic properties, capable of inducing DNA damage in human cells.
• The lipid composition of MLV influences their genotoxic potential, with neutral and positive formulations being more hazardous.
• Fibroblasts are particularly susceptible to MLV-induced genotoxicity, highlighting the need for careful consideration in applications involving these cells.