The functionalization of liposomes with monoclonal antibodies is a potential strategy to increase the specificity of liposomes and reduce the side-effects associated with chemotherapeutic agents. The active targeting of the Human Epidermal growth factor Receptor 2 (HER2), which is overexpressed in HER2 positive breast cancer cells, can be achieved by coating liposomes with an anti-HER2 monoclonal antibody. In this study, we synthesized calcein and Doxorubicin-loaded immunoliposomes functionalized with the monoclonal antibody Trastuzumab (TRA). Both liposomes were characterized for their size, phospholipid content and antibody conjugation. Exposing the liposomes to low-frequency ultrasound (LFUS) triggered drug release which increased with the increase in power density. Trastuzumab conjugation resulted in enhancing the sensitivity of the liposomes to LFUS. Compared to the control liposomes, TRA-liposomes showed higher cellular toxicity and higher drug uptake by the HER2 + cell line (SKBR3) which was further improved following sonication with LFUS. Combining immunoliposomes with LFUS is a promising technique in the field of targeted drug delivery that can enhance efficiency and reduce the cytotoxicity of antineoplastic drugs.

Nanocarriers such as micelles and liposomes were developed to enhance the delivery of therapeutic drugs to tumors. Internal or external stimuli can be applied to achieve spatiotemporal controlled release from these carriers. This will result in enhancing the therapeutic efficacy of anti-neoplastic drugs while reducing their toxicity. Mathematical modeling is used to simulate drug release from nanocarriers; this will facilitate and optimize the development and design of desirable nanocarriers in a systematic manner, rather than the existing trial-and-error approach. This review summarizes nine mathematical models often used to simulate drug release from drug delivery systems and reviews studies that employed these models to simulate drug release from conventional micelles and liposomes, as well as temperature-, pH-, and ultrasound-triggered micelles and liposomes.