Fast Drug Release of Liposome-Gold Conjugation Under Light Irradiation and the Comparison with Liposome-Gold Hybrid

In this article, we initially synthesized and characterized thermosensitive liposomes (TSLs) and gold nanoparticles (AuNPs). After drug encapsulation, doxorubicin (DOX) loaded TSLs (DOX-TSLs) with DSPE-PEG (1,2-distearoylsn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine-N-[methoxy(polyethyleneglycol)-2000]) or DSPE-PEG-SH (thiol-terminated DSPE-PEG) were used to mix or cross-link with AuNPs to fabricate liposome-gold hybrid and liposome-gold conjugation, respectively. For the liposome-gold hybrid, AuNPs were dispersed in the liposome suspension, while for the liposome-gold conjugation, they were located on the membrane of liposomes. Then, the effect of TSLs and AuNPs structures on the photothermal-triggered drug release system was studied. The results showed that under laser irradiation, both liposome-gold hybrid and liposome-gold conjugation could release loaded drug quickly. Under the effect of thermosensitivity, however, liposome-gold conjugation could release drug in a faster rate, which was due to the induction of local photothermal effect on the membrane of TSLs. Fast drug release rate contributed to high cytotoxicity of liposome-gold conjugation to cancer cells. It suggested that liposome-gold conjugation was a preferable photothermal-triggered liposomal system for cancer therapy.