Intelligent Responsive Liposome

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Due to their biocompatibility and drug encapsulation capabilities, liposomes are a promising nanocarrier for drug delivery. Intelligent responsive liposomes achieve functionality through a series of modifications and interactions with the lipid components. BOC Sciences offers professional solutions for the preparation and characterization of various stimulus-responsive liposomes.

What is Responsive Liposome

Liposomes

Liposomes and biological membranes have very similar compositions, and their structures are composed of both hydrophilic and hydrophobic parts, which is very similar to the arrangement of molecules in biological membranes. As a type of nanocarrier, their characteristic feature is not only their good biocompatibility, but also their excellent controlled-release properties, which make them a good targeted carrier for anticancer drugs.

Intelligent Responsive Nanomaterials

Studies have shown that conventional liposomes, although they have many advantages, often fail to achieve the expected results in drug delivery. In recent years, intelligent-responsive nanomaterial drug delivery systems have gained much attention in the field of biomedicine. Intelligent response is usually induced by materials with specific functions. Intelligent materials can exhibit controllable intelligent behavior under the influence of special environments. This kind of macroscopic or microscopic behavior, produced by external stimuli, can be applied to liposome drug delivery systems to selectively create therapeutic effects on lesions. The most extensively studied stimuli signals are usually sensitive to ions, light, pH, magnetic fields, temperature, ultrasound, enzymes, and redox. The most studied stimuli signals are temperature, pH, light, magnetic fields, and ultrasound.

Fig. 1 A scheme on the internal and external stimuli liposomal nanocarriers. (Ashrafizadeh M, 2022)

Advantages of Intelligent-Responsive Nanomaterials-Modified Liposomes

Liposomes contain matrix phospholipids, mainly composed of phosphatidylcholine (PC), which provides biocompatible molecules and has the advantage of being selectively modified. Liposomes modified with smart responsive nanomaterials have the following advantages:

(1) Modified liposome has good biocompatibility and smaller particle size, which makes it easier to enter the cell.

(2) Some nano materials (such as polymers) have a large molecular weight and can be embedded on the surface of liposomes to make drugs stay longer at the site of the disease. The drugs enclosed by the liposome can be protected by the polymer and will not be metabolized prematurely, enhancing the efficacy of the drug while reducing side effects.

(3) During the drug release process, the drug can be released more accurately through diffusion inside the liposome or degradation of the nano material itself, which can destroy the liposome membrane and cause the liposome to rupture.

(4) The phospholipids on the surface of liposomes are charged and are relatively easy to be chemically modified. Therefore, some components with targeting or biological activity can be bound to the surface of liposomes to improve targeting.

(5) After drug release, the carrier material can be degraded and eliminated from the body through biodegradable nano materials.

What Stimuli-Responsive Liposomes are Provided by BOC Sciences?

BOC Sciences has many years of experience in liposome development. Based on advanced technology and perfect laboratory equipment means, we can develop unique liposome preparations and services.

Custom PH-Responsive Liposome Service

The mechanism of pH-sensitive liposomes mainly relies on the proton donor or acceptor of ionizable groups in weakly acidic polymers, such as polyacrylic acid (PAAc). As the pH decreases, these groups can accept protons, becoming proton acceptors, while they can become proton donors as the pH increases. The properties of weakly basic polymers, such as poly(4-vinylpyridine), are opposite to this.

Custom ROS-Responsive Liposome Service

ROS-Responsive liposomes are prepared based on the high expression of ROS in the tumor microenvironment. Researchers modify phospholipids through chemical synthesis methods, such as bonding with thiol, boronic acid ester, and ferrocene to create special structures, and when the liposomes reach the tumor site, the lipid membrane structure changes due to the oxidative effects of ROS, achieving drug release from the encapsulated drugs.

Custom Temperature Sensitive Response Liposome (TL) Service

TL's lipid membrane has temperature-sensitive properties and a specific phase transition temperature (Tm). TL serves as a new drug carrier with excellent physical release mechanisms. When the temperature rises to Tm, drugs are easily released from TL.

Custom Photoresponsive Liposome Service

The preparation of photoresponsive liposomes usually involves the introduction of photosensitive groups, such as azobenzene, stilbene, triphenylmethane, into the main chain of polymers during the modification process of liposomes. Under illumination, the photosensitive groups will undergo changes in structure, polarity, etc., leading to morphological changes in the entire polymer, thus causing the release of drugs in the liposomes.

Custom Magnetic Sensitive Liposome Service

Loading magnetic particles into polymer-modified liposomes endows the liposomes with both magnetoresponsive properties and the unique properties of the liposomes themselves.

What are the Advantages of BOC Sciences

Not only do we provide various liposome materials, we also offer customized services for a wide range of personalized liposomes.
We provide precise analysis according to customer needs, including parameter characterization such as DLS particle size and distribution, Zeta potential and mobility, drug encapsulation efficiency, etc.

Reference

Ashrafizadeh M; et al. Stimuli-responsive liposomal nanoformulations in cancer therapy: Pre-clinical & clinical approaches. J Control Release. 2022 Nov; 351: 50-80.