Safe and efficient pH sensitive tumor targeting modified liposomes with minimal cytotoxicity

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Incorporating the pH-sensitivity of octylamine grafted poly aspartic acid (PASP) with the biocompatibility of liposomes, a novel pH sensitive drug delivery system, octylamine-graft-PASP (PASP-g-C8) modified liposomes (OPLPs), was obtained. Since hydrophobic chains have been grafted into PASP backbones, the octylamine chain could act as the "anchor" to implant onto liposomes. The structure of PASP-g-C8, involving long-chain and hydrophobic anchors can significantly enhance the stability of the drug carrier. The shortcoming of single PASP chain modified liposomes (PLPs), that cannot sustain a slow and controlled release especially in a physiological pH solution (resembling normal tissues of pH 7.4) is thus overcome. Drug release experiments were carried out and the result showed that OPLPs sustained a slow and steady release in comparison with PLPs in the physiological pH 7.4 environment. However, OPLPs can provide a fast release in subacid environment (pH 5.0 of resembled tumor tissues). The results of diameter analysis and zeta potential demonstrated that OPLPs presented a larger diameter and higher electronegativity. Furthermore, in the "chain-anchor" structure of PASP-g-C8, the degree of substitution (DS) of the "anchor" is a remarkable factor to alter the pH-sensitivity of OPLPs. The in vitro tumor inhibition and cell toxicity studies revealed that tumor cells treated with OPLPs survived only 35.0% after 48 h whereas normal cells survived 100% in the same condition. The pH sensitive OPLPs are promising tumor targeting drug delivery with high tumor inhibition and insignificant cytotoxicity.