Targeted therapy of intracranial glioma model mice with curcumin nanoliposomes

BACKGROUND: Glioma is the most aggressive and lethal brain tumor in humans, it comprises about 30 per cent of all brain tumors and central nervous system tumors. PURPOSE: The objective of this study was to create novel brain-targeting nanoliposomes to encapsulate curcumin as a promising option for glioma therapy. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Human glioma cells (U251MG) were used to determine cell uptake efficiency and possible internalization mechanism of the curcumin-loaded nanoliposomes modified by a brain-targeting peptide RDP. In addition, intracranial glioma mice model was prepared by transplantation of U251MG cells into the mice striatum, and then the liposomes were intravenously administered into the glioma-bearing mice to evaluate the anti-glioma activity. RESULTS: RDP-modified liposomes (RCL) could enter the brain and glioma region, and were internalized by the glioma cells perhaps through acetylcholine receptor-mediated endocytosis pathway. Furthermore, the RCL prolonged the survival time of the glioma-bearing mice from 23 to 33 days, and the inhibition mechanism of the RCL on glioma cell was partly due to cell cycle arrest at the S phase and induction of cell apoptosis. CONCLUSION: This study would provide a potential approach for targeted delivery of drug-loaded liposomes for glioma treatment.