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Enriching lipid nanovesicles with short‐chain glucosylceramide improves doxorubicin delivery and efficacy in solid tumors
Author(s) -
Lummel Menno,
Blitterswijk Wim J.,
Vink Stefan R.,
Veldman Robert Jan,
Valk Martin A.,
Schipper Debby,
Dicheva Bilyana M.,
Eggermont Alexander M. M.,
Hagen Timo L. M. ten,
Verheij Marcel,
Koning Gerben A.
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fj.10-163709
Subject(s) - doxorubicin , in vivo , chemistry , pharmacology , in vitro , toxicity , ex vivo , chemotherapy , cancer research , biochemistry , medicine , biology , microbiology and biotechnology , organic chemistry
For amphiphilic anticancer drugs, such as the anthracyclin doxorubicin (Dox), uptake by tumor cells involves slow diffusion across the plasma membrane, a limiting factor in clinical oncology. Previously, we discovered that preinsertion of short‐chain sphingolipids such as AŁoctanoyl‐glucosylceramide (GC) in the tumor cell membrane enhances cellular Dox uptake. In the present study, we apply this strategy in vitro and in vivo by coadministering GC and Dox in a lipid nanovesicle (LNV). GC enrichment of Dox‐LNVs strongly enhanced in vitro cyto‐toxicity toward B16 melanoma and A431 carcinoma, as evidenced by 6‐fold decreased IC 50 values compared with Dox‐LNVs. This correlated with enhanced cellular Dox uptake observed by confocal microscopy. Intravital optical imaging in window chamber‐bearing mice with ortho‐topically implanted B16 melanoma demonstrated enhanced GC‐mediated Dox delivery to tumor cells. Treatment of nude mice bearing human A431 xenografts with 6 mg/kg GC‐Dox‐LNVs almost doubled the tumor growth delay compared with Dox‐LNVs. A second administration of 5 mg/kg after 3 d induced even 3‐fold delay in tumor growth, while no systemic toxicity was found. GC‐enriched Dox‐LNVs displayed superior in vitro and in vivo antitumor activity, without systemic toxicity. This new drug delivery concept, aiming at increased membrane permeability for amphiphilic drugs, provides an opportunity to improve cancer chemotherapy.—Van Lummel, M., van Blitterswijk, W. J., Vink, S. R., Veldman, R. J., van der Valk, M. A., Schipper, D., Dicheva, B. M., Eggermont, A. M. M., ten Hagen, T. L. M., Verheij, M., Koning, G. A. Enriching lipid nanovesicles with short‐chain glucosylcer‐amide improves doxorubicin delivery and efficacy in solid tumors. FASEB J. 25, 280–289 (2011). www.fasebj.org