Fluorinated phosphatidylcholine-based liposomes: H+/Na+ permeability, active doxorubicin encapsulation and stability, in human serum.

The active encapsulation of doxorubicin (DOX) into fluorinated liposomes, the stability of these liposomes with respect to encapsulated DOX release in buffer and in human serum, and their H+/Na+ membrane permeability have been investigated and compared to those of their conventional hydrogenated analogues. These fluorinated liposomes are made from highly fluorinated phosphatidylcholines and contain a fluorinated core within their membrane. We found that the presence of this fluorinated core is not a barrier for the active encapsulation of DOX. Efficient (> 90%) and stable loading could be achieved using a transmembrane ammonium sulfate or even, in the absence of Na+, a transmembrane pH gradient. The higher H+/Na+ permeability found for the fluorinated membranes, as compared to conventional ones, is responsible for the lower stability observed for the DOX-loaded fluorinated liposomes when incubated in a physiological buffer (PBS) or in human serum. It is also noticeable that the retention of DOX is increased in human serum and for the liposomes whose membranes are in a gel or in a semi-fluid semi-gel state at 37 degrees C.