On the interaction of fluorophore-encapsulating PEGylated lecithin liposomes with hamster and human platelets

Polyethylene glycol (PEG)-grafted phosphatidylcholine liposomes are used as drug carriers due to their low immunogenicity and prolonged circulation time. The interaction between sterically stabilized lecithin liposomes and platelets has not been investigated before, and deserves to be subjected to scrutiny inasmuch as the uptake of liposomes by platelets could be detrimental for drug delivery and primary hemostasis. Consequently, the interaction between resting and convulxin-activated hamster and human platelets and calcein- or 5,6-carboxyfluorescein-encapsulating PEGylated liposomes composed of distearoyl- and dipalmitoyl phosphatidylcholine and PEG-derivatized distearoyl phosphatidylethanolamine was investigated by flow cytometry, confocal microscopy, and a glass capillary thrombosis model. Fluorescently labeled liposomes of the same composition were subsequently assayed in vivo after 15 and 45 min of systemic circulation. Neither resting nor activated hamster and human platelets interacted with liposomes at 0.70 mM lipid concentration. An absence of any interaction was corroborated in the in vivo experiments. Alternatively, flow cytometry assays evinced that human platelets interact with liposomes at lipid concentrations of ≥ 1.35 mM. These interactions were more profound for activated platelets than resting platelets. We conclude that the use of PEGylated lecithin liposomes at lipid concentrations of < 1.35 mM has no detrimental impact on liposomal drug delivery based on PEGylated lecithin liposomes, but that these drug carriers may be associated with a reduced targeting efficacy or compromised primary hemostatic system when used at concentrations of ≥ 1.35 mM. In contrast, these drug carriers may become valuable in thrombosis- and drug delivery-related research and applications at concentrations of ≥ 1.35 mM.