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Pharmaceutics
Special Issues
Cutting-Edge Liposome Innovations for Precision Delivery and Cancer Treatment
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Cutting-Edge Liposome Innovations for Precision Delivery and Cancer Treatment

A special issue of Pharmaceutics (ISSN 1999-4923). This special issue belongs to the section "Drug Targeting and Design".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 June 2025 | Viewed by 1446

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Sued Eustáquio Mendes Miranda

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Departamento de Produtos Farmacêuticos, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Av. Presidente Antônio Carlos 6627, Belo Horizonte 31270-901, MG, Brazil
Interests: nanomedicine; toxicity; antitumor activity; molecular image; preclinical studies; citotoxicity
Prof. Dr. Anna Eliza Maciel de Faria Mota Oliveira

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Laboratory of Phytopharmaceutical Nanobiotechnology, Federal University of Amapá, Macapá, 68903-419, Amapá, Brazil
Interests: nanotechnology; drug delivery systems; antibacterial; nanoemulsions

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Liposomes were discovered in the 1960s by Alec Bangham and have since been widely used in the field of pharmaceutical technology. Their use for drug targeting and tumour therapy were major breakthroughs in the field of medicine. Recently, studies have pointed to the use of these nanostructures with some functionalization models such as imaging agents, targeting of specific tissues, co-delivery of drugs, or genetic material encapsulation for the treatment of several cancer models.

In this issue, we aim to present the latest articles, recent advances, and state-of-the-art in targeting and cancer therapy involving liposomes.

Dr. Sued Eustáquio Mendes Miranda
Prof. Dr. Anna Eliza Maciel de Faria Mota Oliveira
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Pharmaceutics is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • liposomes
  • cancer therapy
  • targeted delivery
  • chemotherapy
  • nanomedicine
  • functionalized nanoparticle
  • controlled release liposome

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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26 pages, 14079 KiB  
Article
Neutrophil-Camouflaged Stealth Liposomes for Photothermal-Induced Tumor Immunotherapy Through Intratumoral Bacterial Activation
by Xinxin Chen, Jiang Sun, Tingxian Ye and Fanzhu Li
Pharmaceutics 2025, 17(5), 614; https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmaceutics17050614 - 5 May 2025
Viewed by 253
Abstract
Objective: F. nucleatum, a tumor-resident bacterium colonizing breast cancer (BC), results in an immunosuppressive microenvironment and facilitates tumor growth and metastasis. This study aimed to develop a neutrophil-based liposome delivery system designed for dual-targeted elimination of tumor cells and F. nucleatum [...] Read more.
Objective: F. nucleatum, a tumor-resident bacterium colonizing breast cancer (BC), results in an immunosuppressive microenvironment and facilitates tumor growth and metastasis. This study aimed to develop a neutrophil-based liposome delivery system designed for dual-targeted elimination of tumor cells and F. nucleatum, while simultaneously upregulating pathogen-associated molecular patterns and damage-associated molecular patterns to potentiate tumor immunotherapy. Methods: The liposomes (PD/GA-LPs) loaded with the perylene diimide complex (PD) and gambogic acid (GA) were fabricated via the extrusion method. Subsequently, comprehensive evaluations including physicochemical characteristics, antibacterial activity, antitumor effect, and immunomodulatory effect evaluation were systematically conducted to validate the feasibility of this delivery system. Results: The resulting PD/GA-LPs exhibited a dynamic size (121.3 nm, zeta potential −44.1 mV) and a high encapsulation efficiency of approximately 78.1% (PD) and 91.8% (GA). In addition, the optimized PD/GA-LPs exhibited excellent photothermal performance and antibacterial efficacy. In vitro cellular experiments revealed that PD/GA-LPs exhibited enhanced internalization by neutrophils, followed by extracellular trap-mediated release, ultimately significantly inhibiting tumor cell proliferation and inducing immunogenic cell death. During in vivo treatment, PD/GA-LPs exhibited targeted tumor accumulation, where F. nucleatum-driven PD reduction activated near-infrared-responsive photothermal ablation. When combined with GA, this delivery system effectively eliminated tumor cells and F. nucleatum, while facilitating the subsequent T-cell infiltration. Conclusions: This strategy amplified the antitumor immune response, thus leading to effective treatment of BC and prevention of metastasis. In summary, this approach, grounded in the distinct microecology of tumor and normal tissues, offers novel insights into the development of precise and potent immunotherapies for BC. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Cutting-Edge Liposome Innovations for Precision Delivery and Cancer Treatment)
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16 pages, 3216 KiB  
Article
Multifaceted Functional Liposomes: Theranostic Potential of Liposomal Indocyanine Green and Doxorubicin for Enhanced Anticancer Efficacy and Imaging
by Wei-Ting Liao, Dao-Ming Chang, Meng-Xian Lin, Te-Sen Chou, Yi-Chung Tung and Jong-Kai Hsiao
Pharmaceutics 2025, 17(3), 344; https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmaceutics17030344 - 7 Mar 2025
Viewed by 685
Abstract
Background/Objectives: Liposomal drug formulations improve anticancer treatment efficacy and reduce toxicity by altering pharmacokinetics and biodistribution. Indocyanine Green (ICG), an FDA-approved near-infrared imaging agent, exhibits photosensitivity, photothermal effects, and potential ferroptosis induction, enhancing anticancer activity. Doxorubicin (DOX), widely used for treating breast, ovarian, [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: Liposomal drug formulations improve anticancer treatment efficacy and reduce toxicity by altering pharmacokinetics and biodistribution. Indocyanine Green (ICG), an FDA-approved near-infrared imaging agent, exhibits photosensitivity, photothermal effects, and potential ferroptosis induction, enhancing anticancer activity. Doxorubicin (DOX), widely used for treating breast, ovarian, and liver cancers, is limited by cardiotoxicity, requiring dosage control. Incorporating ICG and DOX into liposomes enables medical imaging, controlled drug release, reduced administration frequency, and fewer side effects. This study aims to develop liposomes encapsulating both ICG and DOX and evaluate their theranostic potential in in vitro and in vivo lung adenocarcinoma models. Methods: Liposomes containing ICG and DOX (Lipo-ICG/DOX) were synthesized using an active loading method and characterized for size (~140 nm), lipid, and drug concentrations. In vitro studies using A549 lung cancer cells assessed liposome uptake via fluorescence microscopy, while in vivo xenograft models evaluated therapeutic efficacy. Results: Lipo-ICG/DOX showed uptake in A549 cells, with ICG localizing in lysosomes and DOX in nuclei. Treatment reduced cell viability significantly by day three. In vivo imaging demonstrated the retention of liposomes in tumor sites, with ICG signals observed in the liver and intestines, indicating metabolic routes. When combined with 780 nm light exposure, liposomes slowed tumor growth over 12 days. Mechanistic studies revealed combined ferroptosis and apoptosis induction. Conclusions: Lipo-ICG/DOX demonstrates strong theranostic potential, integrating imaging and therapy for lung adenocarcinoma. This multifunctional formulation offers a promising strategy for improving cancer treatment efficacy while minimizing side effects. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Cutting-Edge Liposome Innovations for Precision Delivery and Cancer Treatment)
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