Therapeutic effects of trehalose liposomes against lymphoblastic leukemia leading to apoptosis in vitro and in vivo

Abstract

Inhibitory effects of trehalose liposomes (DMTre) composed of 30mol% l-α-dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine (DMPC) and 70mol% trehalose surfactants on the growth of lymphoblastic leukemia (MOLT-4) cells in vitro and therapeutic effects of DMTre for xenograft mice model of carcinoma in vivo were examined. DMTre inhibited the growth of MOLT-4 cells in a dose-dependent manner due to apoptosis. The activation of caspase-3, -8, and 9 was obtained for MOLT-4 cells after the treatment with DMTre. The clustering of lipid rafts in plasma membranes of MOLT-4 cells was examined with a marker Cholera toxin subunit B conjugates Alexa Fluor (CTB), which binds to the pentasaccharide chains of ganglioside GM1 on the cellular surfaces. The clustering of lipid rafts in plasma membranes of MOLT-4 cells was observed after the treatment with DMTre. Therapeutic effects of DMTre were obtained for xenograft mice model of carcinoma in vivo.