PUBLICATION

Optimized Photoactivatable Lipid Nanoparticles Enable Red Light Triggered Drug Release

Authors
Chander, N., Morstein, J., Bolten, J.S., Shemet, A., Cullis, P.R., Trauner, D., Witzigmann, D.
ID
ZDB-PUB-210422-2
Date
2021
Source
Small (Weinheim an der Bergstrasse, Germany)   17(21): e2008198 (Journal)
Registered Authors
Keywords
cancer, doxorubicin, liposome, photoswitch, triggered drug release
MeSH Terms
  • Animals
  • Doxorubicin
  • Drug Liberation
  • Humans
  • Liposomes
  • Nanoparticles*
  • Zebrafish*
PubMed
33880882 Full text @ Small
Abstract
Encapsulation of small molecule drugs in long-circulating lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) can reduce toxic side effects and enhance accumulation at tumor sites. A fundamental problem, however, is the slow release of encapsulated drugs from these liposomal systems at the disease site resulting in limited therapeutic benefit. Methods to trigger release at specific sites are highly warranted. Here, it is demonstrated that incorporation of ultraviolet (UV-A) or red-light photoswitchable-phosphatidylcholine analogs (AzoPC and redAzoPC) in conventional LNPs generates photoactivatable LNPs (paLNPs) having comparable structural integrity, drug loading capacity, and size distribution to the parent DSPC-cholesterol liposomes. It is shown that 65-70% drug release (doxorubicin) can be induced from these systems by irradiation with pulsed light based on trans-to-cis azobenzene isomerization. In vitro it is confirmed that paLNPs are non-toxic in the dark but convey cytotoxicity upon irradiation in a human cancer cell line. In vivo studies in zebrafish embryos demonstrate prolonged blood circulation and extravasation of paLNPs comparable to clinically approved formulations, with enhanced drug release following irradiation with pulsed light. Conclusively, paLNPs closely mimic the properties of clinically approved LNPs with the added benefit of light-induced drug release making them promising candidates for clinical development.
Genes / Markers
Figures
Expression
Phenotype
Mutations / Transgenics
Human Disease / Model
Sequence Targeting Reagents
Fish
Antibodies
Orthology
Engineered Foreign Genes
Mapping