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Background: To enhance the success rate of nanocarrier-mediated chemotherapy combined with an anti-angiogenic agent, it is crucial to identify parameters for tumour vasculature that can predict a response to the treatment of the anti-angiogenic agent.Methods: To apply transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta type I receptor (TbetaR-I) inhibitor, A-83-01, to combined therapy, dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCE-MRI) was carried out in mice bearing colon 26 cells using gadolinium (Gd)-DTPA and for its liposomal formulation to evaluate changes in tumour microvasculature following A-83-01. Tumour vascular parameters from DCE-MRI were compared with histological assessment and apparent diffusion coefficient of water in tumour generated by diffusion-weighted MRI.Results: Contrary to evaluations reported for anti-angiogenic agents, A-83-01 treatment increased the initial area under the Gd concentration-time curve (IAUGC60), volume transfer constant (K(trans)) and fractional plasma volume (v(p)) significantly within 24 h, that was positively related to alpha-smooth muscle actin-positive pericyte coverage and tumour cell proliferation, and was correlated inversely with the apparent diffusion coefficient. The vascular function of the tumour improved by A-83-01 treatment was well assessed on post-liposomal Gd-DTPA-enhanced MR images, which predicted delivery of a liposomal drug to the tumour.Conclusion: These findings suggest that DCE-MRI and, in particular, K(trans) and v(p) quantitation, provide important additional information about tumour vasculature by A-83-01 treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigated the transfection efficiency of β-sitosterol βD-glucoside (Sit-G)-containing liposome/DNA complex (SitG-liposome/DNA complex) for liver targeting. The Sit-Gliposome/DNA complex was composed of Tfx-20 reagent (Tfx), ie synthetic cationic lipid [N,N,N′,N′-tetramethyI-N,N′bis (2-hydroxyethyl) -2, 3-di (oleo yloxy)-1, 4-butanediammonium iodide] with L-dioleoylphosphatidylethanolamine (DOPE), 3β[N-(N′,N′-dimethylaminoethane)-carbamoyl]cholesterol (DC-Chol) and Sit-G with plasmid DNA. The in vitro studies were performed in HepG2 cells in serum-containing medium and the in vivo studies were carried out in the mice following intravenous injection. The Sit-G-liposome produced a Sit-Gliposome/DNA complex of relatively small size (100-250 nm). Transfection efficiency of the luciferase marker gene by Sit-G-liposome/DNA complex was increased in the presence of 10% serum in vitro, and was selectively high in the mouse liver reaching expression values up to an average of 14.9 pg luciferase/mg tissue protein, compared with Tfx/DNA complex, which showed approximately three-fold higher gene expression than Sit-G-liposome/DNA complex in vitro. High in vitro transfection efficiency by Sit-G-liposome/DNA complex seemed to be possible even with large lipid precipitates, whereas high in vivo activity seemed to be related to small and dispersed complexes. The interaction of liposome/DNA complexes with serum may be a key point to predict the in vivo efficiency of a liposome vector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose. The aim of the study was to prepare stealth and remoteloading proliposome (SRP-L) to carry doxorubicin (DXR) and evaluatethe pharmacokinetics, acute toxicity, and anticancer effect of DXRcarried with SRP-L. Methods. SRP-L was transparent solution. When SRP-L was injectedinto 0.9% NaCl aqueous solution containing DXR, liposomes formedand automatically loaded DXR (SRP-L-DXR). The long circulation ofSRP-L-DXR was evaluated using the pharmacokinetics ofSRP-L-DXR, cardiolipin liposomal DXR (CL-DXR) and free DXR (F-DXR).The acute toxicity and anticancer effect of SRP-L-DXR were evaluatedin C57BL/6 mice and murine hystocytoma M5076 tumor model. Results. The average diameter of SRP-L-DXR in pure water was112.9 ± 8.6 (nm) and the encapsulation efficiency of SRP-L-DXRwas 96.5 ± 0.2% in pure water, 95.5 ± 0.1% in 5% glucose and 98.01± 0.6% in 0.9% NaCl. The plasma concentration of SRP-L-DXR wasmuch higher than those of F-DXR and CL-DXR. Compared with thatof F-DXR, the SRP-L-DXR had lower acute toxicity and its anticancereffects depended upon the therapeutic treatment. Conclusions. A novel proliposome (SRP-L) was developed, whichcould automatically load DXR and form SRP-L-DXR with excellentcharacteristics. SRP-L-DXR had lower acute toxicity but was notalways more effective for the treatment of the ascitic M5076 thanF-DXR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]