Cellular localization of stable solid liposomes in the liver of rats

Small solid liposomes made from distearoylphosphatidyl choline and cholesterol (molar ratio 2:1) showed significant stability in plasma, with a half-life of about 24 hr after intravenous injection in rats. The major cellular uptake of intact liposomes was found in the liver and spleen, peaking after 2-4 hr in the liver and after 24 hr in the spleen. Isolation of parenchymal and non-parenchymal cells from rat livers at various intervals after injection of liposomes showed that both cell types adsorbed liposomal membranes and took up the liposomal contents. Our study has shown that most of the liposomal markers found in the liver shortly (less than 40 min) after administration stemmed from the liposomes adsorbed to extracellular binding sites, and that uptake into the cells took place subsequently. In non-parenchymal cells, uptake was rapid and the intracellular level remained rather constant after 40 min and for up to 4 hr. The uptake of liposomes by parenchymal cells was slower, it showed a lag-phase of approx. 1/2 hr and peaked at 2 hr, whereupon the radioactivity in parenchymal cells dropped. The contents of liposomes behaved in a manner similar to the membranes. It is concluded that, in addition to a rapid uptake of liposomes in non-parenchymal liver cells, there is a significant degree of association with parenchymal cells, provided that the liposomes administered are small (less than 100 nm in diameter) and stable.