IMMUNOLIPOSOME-MEDIATED TARGETING OF DOXORUBICIN TO HUMAN OVARIAN-CARCINOMA IN-VITRO AND IN-VIVO

This paper deals with the utility of immunoliposomes for the delivery of doxorubicin (DXR) to human ovarian carcinoma cells in vitro and in vivo. We aimed to investigate whether immunoliposome-mediated targetin g of DXR to ovarian cancer cells translates in an enhanced anti-tumour effect compared with that of non-targeted DXR liposomes (lacking the specific antibody). Target cell binding and anti-tumour activity of DX R immunoliposomes were studied in vitro and in vivo (xenograft model o f ovarian carcinoma). In vitro we observed that target cell binding an d cell growth inhibition of DXR immunoliposomes is superior to that of non-targeted DXR-liposomes. However, in vivo, despite the efficient t arget cell binding and good antitumour response of DXR-immunoliposomes , no difference in anti-tumour effect, compared with non-targeted DXR- liposomes, could be determined. The results indicate that premature DX R leakage from immunoliposomes occurring before the actual target cell binding and subsequent DXR association with the tumour cells, explain s why no significant differences in anti-tumour activity between DXR-i mmunoliposomes and non-targeted DXR-liposomes were observed in vivo.