title: pH-sensitive liposomes for drug delivery in cancer treatment.
abstract: In recent years, liposomes have been employed with growing success as pharmaceutical carriers for antineoplastic drugs. One specific strategy used to enhance in vivo liposome-mediated drug delivery is the improvement of intracytoplasmic delivery. In this context, pH-sensitive liposomes (pHSLip) have been designed to explore the endosomal acidification process, which may lead to a destabilization of the liposomes, followed by a release of their contents into the cell cytoplasm. This review considers the current status of pHSLip development and its applicability in cancer treatment, focusing on the mechanisms of pH sensitivity and liposomal composition of pHSLip. The final section will discuss the application of these formulations in both in vitro and in vivo studies of antitumor efficacy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmaceutical Products, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Avenue Antônio Carlos, 6627, 31270-901, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
authors.forename: Diego Dos Santos
authors.initials: Ddos S
authors.lastname: Ferreira
authors.forename: Sávia Caldeira de Araújo
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Lopes
authors.forename: Marina Santiago
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Franco
authors.forename: Mônica Cristina
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Oliveira
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems; D011992:Endosomes / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D008081:Liposomes / Q000737:chemistry; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D010714:Phosphatidylethanolamines / Q000737:chemistry; D011108:Polymers / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: C410262:1,2-dioleoyl-glycero-3-phosphatidyl ethanolamine; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D008081:Liposomes; D010714:Phosphatidylethanolamines; D011108:Polymers