Encapsulation of vasoactive intestinal peptide into liposomes: effects on vasodilation in vivo

The purpose of this study was to determine whether encapsulation of vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) into liposomes potentiated its vasorelaxant effects in vivo. Using intravital microscopy, we measured the diameter of second-order arterioles (53 +/- 1 microns) in the hamster cheek pouch before, during and after suffusion of VIP, liposomes and VIP encapsulated into liposomes for 7 min. We found that VIP (0.05, 0.1 & 1.0 nmol) induced significant, time- and concentration-dependent vasodilation (9 +/- 1%, 13 +/- 3% and 14 +/- 1% increase from baseline values, respectively; mean +/- SEM; n = 12; p < 0.05). Arteriolar diameter returned to baseline values within 1-4 min after suffusion was stopped. These effects were significantly potentiated when VIP (0.05, 0.1 & 1.0 nmol) was encapsulated into liposomes (26 +/- 6%, 38 +/- 7% and 34 +/- 3% increase from baseline values, respectively; n = 12; p < 0.05). In addition, arteriolar diameter returned to baseline values 5-13 min after suffusion was stopped. Suffusion of liposomes alone had no significant effects on arteriolar diameter (n = 12; p > 0.5). We conclude that encapsulation of VIP into liposomes potentiates and prolongs of its vasorelaxant effects in the peripheral microcirculation in vivo.