Next Article in Journal
Epitranscriptomic Regulation of Platinum Resistance via the METTL3-ADAM23 Axis in Ovarian Cancer
Previous Article in Journal
CD74-Targeted Cathepsin-Inhibitor Antibody–Drug Conjugate Triggers Apoptosis in DLBCL.
 
 
Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
Journals
Cells
Volume 15
Issue 3
10.3390/cells15030292
cells-logo
Submit to this Journal Review for this Journal Propose a Special Issue
► Article Menu

Article Menu

share Share announcement Help format_quote Cite question_answer Discuss in SciProfiles
first_page
settings
Order Article Reprints
Font Type:
Arial Georgia Verdana
Font Size:
Aa Aa Aa
Line Spacing:
Column Width:
Background:
This is an early access version, the complete PDF, HTML, and XML versions will be available soon.
Article

Engineered CCR2 Cell Membrane-Wrapped Cepharanthine Liposomes for Potential Targeted Attenuation of Acute Lung Injury

by
Yifan Qing
1,2,
Wenbo Zhao
2,3,
Liangliang Xue
1,2,
Yu Luo
2,
Yuhao Gao
3,
Xiang Sun
2,3,
Fan Li
1,2,
Linxuan Dai
4,
Jing Mo
2,
Guoqing Xu
2,
Zenghao Bi
2,3,
Suleixin Yang
2,5,
Woo Tiam Hee
6,
Jie Li
2,5,* and
Liang Leng
1,2,*
1
School of Basic Medical Sciences, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu 611137, China
2
Institute of Herbgenomics, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu 611137, China
3
College of Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu 611137, China
4
School of Medical and Life Sciences, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu 611137, China
5
Innovative Institute of Chinese Medicine and Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu 611137, China
6
M. Kandiah Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University Tunku Abdul Rahman, Selangor 43000, Malaysia
*
Authors to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Cells 2026, 15(3), 292; https://doi.org/10.3390/cells15030292
Submission received: 12 January 2026 / Revised: 29 January 2026 / Accepted: 30 January 2026 / Published: 4 February 2026
(This article belongs to the Special Issue LPS-Induced Inflammatory Diseases)
Versions Notes

Abstract

Severe respiratory inflammation or viral infections can lead to acute lung injury (ALI), a disease characterized by diffuse inflammatory injury of the pulmonary epithelium and endothelium. Cepharanthine (CEP) is reported as a promising drug candidate due to its antiviral properties. However, CEP exhibits poor solubility and low bioavailability. Therefore, we developed a novel liposome, named CEP@LP-MCCR2, which integrates the advantages of cell membranes and lipid materials, to achieve effective accumulation of CEP in inflamed lungs. It exhibits a 1.73-fold increase in lung accumulation at 24 h in vivo, a 4.56-fold increase in cellular uptake in MLE-12 cells. CEP@LP-MCCR2 is equipped with a CCR2-overexpressed surface, enabling it to selectively neutralize elevated levels of CCL2, which is related to ALI, thereby reducing macrophage infiltration, thereby reducing the spread of inflammation, such as a reduction in levels of key pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6). CEP@LP-MCCR2 could suppress M1 macrophage polarization, which led to a marked decrease in iNOS and an increase in Arg1. It upregulated the expression of junctional proteins E-cadherin and Occludin, indicating potential recovery of the pulmonary epithelial barrier. RNA sequencing analysis implied the potential of CEP@LP-MCCR2 to inactivate the TNF/NF-κB signaling axis.
Keywords: acute lung injury; engineered CCR2 cell membrane; cepharanthine; liposome; potential targeted strategy; anti-inflammatory acute lung injury; engineered CCR2 cell membrane; cepharanthine; liposome; potential targeted strategy; anti-inflammatory

Share and Cite

MDPI and ACS Style

Qing, Y.; Zhao, W.; Xue, L.; Luo, Y.; Gao, Y.; Sun, X.; Li, F.; Dai, L.; Mo, J.; Xu, G.; et al. Engineered CCR2 Cell Membrane-Wrapped Cepharanthine Liposomes for Potential Targeted Attenuation of Acute Lung Injury. Cells 2026, 15, 292. https://doi.org/10.3390/cells15030292

AMA Style

Qing Y, Zhao W, Xue L, Luo Y, Gao Y, Sun X, Li F, Dai L, Mo J, Xu G, et al. Engineered CCR2 Cell Membrane-Wrapped Cepharanthine Liposomes for Potential Targeted Attenuation of Acute Lung Injury. Cells. 2026; 15(3):292. https://doi.org/10.3390/cells15030292

Chicago/Turabian Style

Qing, Yifan, Wenbo Zhao, Liangliang Xue, Yu Luo, Yuhao Gao, Xiang Sun, Fan Li, Linxuan Dai, Jing Mo, Guoqing Xu, and et al. 2026. "Engineered CCR2 Cell Membrane-Wrapped Cepharanthine Liposomes for Potential Targeted Attenuation of Acute Lung Injury" Cells 15, no. 3: 292. https://doi.org/10.3390/cells15030292

APA Style

Qing, Y., Zhao, W., Xue, L., Luo, Y., Gao, Y., Sun, X., Li, F., Dai, L., Mo, J., Xu, G., Bi, Z., Yang, S., Hee, W. T., Li, J., & Leng, L. (2026). Engineered CCR2 Cell Membrane-Wrapped Cepharanthine Liposomes for Potential Targeted Attenuation of Acute Lung Injury. Cells, 15(3), 292. https://doi.org/10.3390/cells15030292

Note that from the first issue of 2016, this journal uses article numbers instead of page numbers. See further details here.

Article Metrics

Article metric data becomes available approximately 24 hours after publication online.
Back to TopTop