Carboxymethyl dextran-coated liposomes: Toward a robust drug delivery platform

Liposomes have been widely used as promising drug delivery systems. The stabilization of liposomes however remains challenging, especially when surface binding properties are involved. In this work, we reported carboxymethyl dextran-coated liposomes (CMD-LIPs), in an attempt to improve their stability, surface binding and release properties. Firstly, we introduced hydrophobic oleyl groups onto CMD, and then used the amphiphilic CMD, phosphatidylcholine and cholesterol to prepare the CMD-LIPs. Surface plasmon resonance measurements confirmed that CMD-LIPs inhibited non-specific protein adsorption and exhibited active targeting when coupling ligands to the liposomal surface. Moreover, doxorubicin (DOX)-loaded CMD-LIPs displayed a sustained and pH-responsive drug release profile. MTT assay revealed that the cytotoxicity of DOX-loaded CMD-LIPs on HeLa cells was time- and concentration- dependent. Additionally, the DOX-loaded CMD-LIPs were highly stable in serum media and against dilution, long-term storage and lyophilization.