Tumor Imaging and Interferon-γ-Inducible Protein-10 Gene Transfer Using a Highly Efficient Transferrin-Conjugated Liposome System in Mice

We have developed a PEGylated transferrin-conjugated liposomes (PTf-Ls) system for the combined tumor imaging and targeted delivery of the IFN-γ-inducible protein-10 (IP-10) gene in a single macromolecular construct. Here, we characterize and analyze the use of this system in a mouse model of breast cancer. The biophysical and cell transfection properties of PTf-Ls were determined through a series of in vitro experiments. A nude mouse/breast cancer cell line xenograft model (mouse xenograft model) was used to image the tumor internalization of fluorescently labeled PTf-Ls. The clinical use of the system was tested by treating tumor-bearing mice with PTf-Ls loaded with IP-10 plasmid DNA or fluorescent lipoplexes. The resulting 165-nm liposomes (zeta potential = -10.6 mV) displayed serum resistance, low cytotoxicity (