Use of liposomes as drug delivery vehicles for treatment of melanoma

Abstract

Melanoma is a progressive disease that claims many lives each year due to lack of therapeutics effective for the long-term treatment of patients. Currently, the best treatment option is early detection followed by surgical removal. Better melanoma therapies that are effectively delivered to tumors with minimal toxicity for patients are urgently needed. Nanotechnologies provide one approach to encapsulate therapeutic agents leading to improvements in circulation time, enhanced tumor uptake, avoidance of the reticulo-endothelial system, and minimization of toxicity. Liposomes in particular are a promising nanotechnology that can be used for more effective delivery of therapeutic agents to treat melanoma. Liposomes delivering chemotherapies, siRNA, asODNs, DNA, and radioactive particles are just some of the promising new nanotechnology based therapies under development for the treatment of melanoma that are discussed in this review.

Nanomedicine in Melanoma: Current Trends and Future Perspectives

“…Thus, in two melanoma xenograft models, phosphatidylethanolamine liposomal cisplatin was proven to have higher cytotoxicity than classic liposomes or free cisplatin, a high concentration of intratumoral drug remaining for 72 h and efficiently delivering 3.6-times more drug compared to the free drug (97)(98)(99)(100)(101)(102)(103). Niosomes are biodegradable, biocompatible, nontoxic, and nonimmunogenic having extensive solubility and flexibility.…”

Targeting Liposomes Toward Novel Pediatric Anticancer Therapeutics

“…There is substantial literature and experience during the past several decades using liposomes as nanocarriers for nucleic acids both in vitro and in vivo (50). In models of adult-type malignancies, melanoma, lung cancer, breast cancer, and ovarian cancer, targeted liposomes have been regularly used to deliver siRNA constructs (51)(52)(53). Currently, exciting applications to pediatric cancer therapeutics using liposomes as nanocarriers for siRNA involve neuroblastoma, chronic myeloid leukemia, and hepatoblastoma.…”

Bioactive Food Components for Melanoma: An Overview

“…The in vitro results presented suggested that LCL-BUP has strong cytotoxic effects on B16.F10 melanoma cells and the anti-proliferative effects of all LCL-GC towards angiogenic endothelial cells play a role in their antitumor activity. Tran et al [134] discussed some promising new nanotechnology based therapies under development for the treatment of melanoma. This article summarized the utilization of liposomes for effective therapy of melanoma.…”