Hybrid liposomes inhibit tumor growth and lung metastasis of murine osteosarcoma cells.

Antitumor effects of hybrid liposomes (HL) composed of l-α-dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine (DMPC) and polyoxyethylene(23) dodecyl ether (C₁₂(EO)₂₃) on the metastatic growth of murine osteosarcoma (LM8) cells were investigated in vitro and in vivo. Remarkable inhibitory effects of HL-23 on the growth of LM8 cells were obtained through the induction of apoptotic cell death in vitro. It was also indicated that HL-23 should dramatically suppress the invasion of LM8 cells and the formation of filopodia on the cell surface in vitro. Furthermore, significantly high therapeutic effects were observed in the homograft mouse models of LM8 cells with lung metastasis after the treatment with HL-23 in vivo. That is, the histological analysis demonstrated that the primary tumor growth of LM8 cells implanted subcutaneously into the mice was inhibited along with the induction of apoptosis. In addition, it was found that HL-23 significantly decreased the lung metastasis of LM8 cells in the mouse models through the inhibition of primary tumor invasion. These results suggest that HL-23 could be a novel agent for the chemotherapy of osteosarcoma.