Liposomes Coated with Isolated Macrophage Membrane Can Target Lung Metastasis of Breast Cancer

TLDR

Cancer metastasis causes high mortality in breast cancer and is difficult to treat due to poor drug delivery efficiency. The study reports wrapping a drug‑carrying liposome with an isolated macrophage membrane to improve delivery to metastatic sites. Macrophage‑membrane decoration enhanced cellular uptake and viability inhibition of emtansine liposomes in metastatic 4T1 cells, targeted metastatic cells in vivo, and markedly reduced lung metastasis, demonstrating a biomimetic strategy to improve nanoparticle performance for treating cancer metastasis.

Abstract

Cancer metastasis leads to high mortality of breast cancer and is difficult to treat because of the poor delivery efficiency of drugs. Herein, we report the wrapping of a drug-carrying liposome with an isolated macrophage membrane to improve delivery to metastatic sites. The macrophage membrane decoration increased cellular uptake of the emtansine liposome in metastatic 4T1 breast cancer cells and had inhibitory effects on cell viability. In vivo, the macrophage membrane enabled the liposome to target metastatic cells and produced a notable inhibitory effect on lung metastasis of breast cancer. Our results provide a biomimetic strategy via the biological properties of macrophages to enhance the medical performance of a nanoparticle in vivo for treating cancer metastasis.