APPLICATION OF FUSOGENIC LIPOSOMES CONTAINING FRAGMENT-A OF DIPHTHERIA-TOXIN TO CANCER-THERAPY

Previously we reported that fusogenic liposomes, prepared by fusing si mple liposomes with Sendai virus particles, could introduce their cont ents directly and efficiently into the cytoplasm. In this study, we ex amined the anti-tumour activity of fusogenic liposomes containing frag ment A of diphtheria toxin (DTA). Fusogenic liposomes containing DTA s howed high cytotoxicity against sarcoma-180 (S-180) cells in vitro. Wh en these liposomes were administered into the abdominal cavity of ddY mice carrying S-180, tumour cells completely disappeared in four of si x tumour-bearing mice without decrease in body weight. Neither simple liposomes containing DTA nor empty fusogenic liposomes had any effect on tumour suppression. We conclude that fusogenic liposomes containing DTA are new and potentially effective tools for the treatment of asci tes tumours without any severe side-effects.