Erythrocyte engineering for drug delivery and targeting.
A new procedure for the encapsulation of non-diffusible drugs into human erythrocytes was developed. With as little as 50 ml of blood and by using a new apparatus, it was possible to encapsulate a variety of biologically active compounds into erythrocytes in 2 h at room temperature and under blood-banking conditions. The process, which is based on two sequential hypotonic dilutions of washed red cells followed by concentration with a haemofilter and resealing of red cells, allows a 35-50% cell recovery and approx. 30% encapsulation of added drugs. The resulting processed erythrocytes have a normal survival in vivo and can be modified further, with the same apparatus, to increase their recognition by tissue macrophages to perform as a drug-targeting system. The new equipment designed and built for this procedure was named 'Red Cell Loader'.
Istituto di Chimica Biologica 'Giorgio Fornaini', Università degli Studi di Urbino, Via Saffi 2, 61029 Urbino, Italy.
M
M
Magnani
L
L
Rossi
M
M
D'ascenzo
I
I
Panzani
L
L
Bigi
A
A
Zanella
D002463:Cell Membrane Permeability / Q000502:physiology; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000502:physiology; D002712:Chlorides / Q000494:pharmacology; D003907:Dexamethasone / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000378:metabolism; D004339:Drug Compounding / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems / Q000295:instrumentation*; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000378:metabolism*; D005470:Fluorometry; D006801:Humans; D007038:Hypotonic Solutions / Q000737:chemistry; D008264:Macrophages / Q000502:physiology; D009994:Osmolar Concentration; D010587:Phagocytosis / Q000502:physiology; D011239:Prednisolone / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000378:metabolism; D013388:Succinimides / Q000494:pharmacology; D017967:Zinc Compounds / Q000494:pharmacology
D002712:Chlorides; D007038:Hypotonic Solutions; D013388:Succinimides; D017967:Zinc Compounds; C004180:dexamethasone 21-phosphate; C009022:prednisolone phosphate; D003907:Dexamethasone; C016837:zinc chloride; D011239:Prednisolone; C035760:bis(sulfosuccinimidyl)suberate