title: Formulation of interleukin-2 and interferon-alpha containing ultradeformable carriers for potential transdermal application.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Transfersomes (TF) are new highly deformable hydrophilic lipid vesicles, which are able to spontaneously penetrate the skin barrier because of their characteristics. Transfersomes are able to transport non-invasively low as well as high molecular weight molecules into the body. We describe the formulation and several biological characteristics of Interleukin-2 and Interferon-a containing TF.
  
  
  METHODS
  TF contain natural phosphatidylcholine and sodium cholate. Recombinant human IL-2 and human hybrid interferon-alpha A/D were added to TF and incubated for 24 hours at 4 degrees C. Immunotransfersomes were isolated from free IL-2 and IFN by filtration (Centrisart, Sartorius). Biological activity of immunotransfersomes was measured by CTLL-cell-assay for IL-2 and by A549--EMCV-assay for IFN, concentrations of proteins by ELISA.
  
  
  RESULTS
  It has been possible to incorporate a high amount of IL-2 and IFN in TF (75-80%). Incorporated IL-2 and IFN were biological active. The increase of the proportion of lipid to protein to 90.9/1 led to growing probability of association.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We were able to show, that IL-2 as well as IFN is trapped by transfersomes in biological active form and in sufficient concentrations for immunotherapy. In upcoming experiments these IL-2 and IFN-containing TF are used for a transdermal approach in the murine RENCA cell line model.
authors.affiliation: Urologische Klinik und Poliklinik, Technischen Universität München, Germany.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hofer
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Göbel
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Deering
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lehmer
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Breul
mesh_terms: D000279:Administration, Cutaneous; D001681:Biological Assay; D019826:Cholic Acid; D004337:Drug Carriers; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D006801:Humans; D007370:Interferon Type I / Q000008:administration & dosage; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D008081:Liposomes; D010713:Phosphatidylcholines; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage
chemical_list: D004337:Drug Carriers; D007370:Interferon Type I; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D007376:Interleukin-2; D008081:Liposomes; D010713:Phosphatidylcholines; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D019826:Cholic Acid