Comparison of two methods for tumour-targeting peptide modification of liposomes

Construction Strategy of Functionalized Liposomes and Multidimensional Application

Liposomes are widely used in the biological field due to their good biocompatibility and surface modification properties. With the development of biochemistry and material science, many liposome structures and their surface functional components have been modified and optimized one by one, pushing the liposome platform from traditional to functionalized and intelligent, which will better satisfy and expand the needs of scientific research. However, a main limiting factor effecting the efficiency of liposomes is the complicated environmental conditions in the living body. Currently, in order to overcome the above problem, functionalized liposomes have become a very promising strategy. In this paper, binding strategies of liposomes with four main functional elements, namely nucleic acids, antibodies, peptides, and stimuli-responsive motif have been summarized for the first time. In addition, based on the construction characteristics of functionalized liposomes, such as drug-carrying, targeting, long-circulating, and stimulus-responsive properties, a comprehensive overview of their features and respective research progress are presented. Finally, the paper critically presents the limitations of these functionalized liposomes in the current applications and also prospectively suggests the future development directions, aiming to accelerate realization of their industrialization.

Lipid-Coated Polymeric Nanoparticles for the Photodynamic Therapy of Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinomas

Next to alcohol and tobacco abuse, infection with human papillomaviruses (HPVs) is a major risk factor for developing head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCCs), leading to 350,000 casualties worldwide each year. Limited therapy options and drug resistance raise the urge for alternative methods such as photodynamic therapy (PDT), a minimally invasive procedure used to treat HNSCC and other cancers. We prepared lipid-coated polymeric nanoparticles encapsulating curcumin as the photosensitizer (CUR-LCNPs). The prepared CUR-LCNPs were in the nanometer range (153.37 ± 1.58 nm) and showed an encapsulation efficiency of 92.69 ± 0.03%. Proper lipid coating was visualized using atomic force microscopy (AFM). The CUR-LCNPs were tested in three HPVpos and three HPVneg HNSCC lines regarding their uptake capabilities and in vitro cell killing capacity, revealing a variable but highly significant tumor cell inhibiting effect in all tested HNSCC cell lines. No significant differences were detected between the HPVpos and HPVneg HNSCC groups (mean IC50: (9.34 ± 4.73 µmol/L vs. 6.88 ± 1.03 µmol/L), suggesting CUR-LCNPs/PDT to be a promising therapeutic option for HNSCC patients independent of their HPV status.

Review of the advances in lipid anchors-based biosensors for the isolation and detection of exosomes

Exosomes are nanoparticles with a bilayer lipid structure that carry cargo from their cells of origin. These vesicles are vital to disease diagnosis and therapeutics; however, conventional isolation and detection techniques are generally complicated, time-consuming, and costly, thus hampering the clinical applications of exosomes. Meanwhile, sandwich-structured immunoassays for exosome isolation and detection rely on the specific binding of membrane surface biomarkers, which may be limited by the type and amount of target protein present. Recently, lipid anchors inserted into the membranes of vesicles through hydrophobic interactions have been adopted as a new strategy for extracellular vesicle manipulation. By combining nonspecific and specific binding, the performance of biosensors can be improved variously. This review presents the reaction mechanisms and properties of lipid anchors/probes, as well as advances in the development of biosensors. The combination of signal amplification methods with lipid anchors is discussed in detail to provide insights into the design of convenient and sensitive detection techniques. Finally, the advantages, challenges, and future directions of lipid anchor-based exosome isolation and detection methods are highlighted from the perspectives of research, clinical use, and commercialization.