Therapeutic effects and anti-metastasis effects of cationic liposomes against pancreatic cancer metastasis in vitro and in vivo

The anti-metastatic effects of cationic liposomes (CL) composed of 87 mol% dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine (DMPC), 8 mol% O,O′-ditetradecanoyl-N-(α–trimethylammonioacetyl) diethanolamine chloride (2C14ECl) and 5 mol% polyoxyethylene(21) dodecyl ether (C12(EO)21) was investigated for human pancreatic cancer (BxPC-3) cells. The inhibitory effect of CL on the migration of BxPC-3 cells was observed based on a wound scratch assay. CL suppressed pseudopodium formation of BxPC-3 cells. The anti-invasive effect of CL against BxPC-3 cells was observed via a Matrigel invasion assay. The anti-invasive effect of CL for BxPC-3 cells was found to occur through the inhibition of MMP2, MMP9, and MMP14. Overall, the results of this study revealed for the first time, the therapeutic effects and anti-metastasis activity of CL in xenograft mouse models for peritoneal metastasis of human pancreatic cancer. •Cationic liposomes (CL) consist of vesicular, micellar molecules.•CL inhibit the migration of human pancreatic cancer (BxPC-3) cells.•CL suppressed pseudopodium formation of BxPC-3 cells.•CL reduce tumor in xenograft mouse models for peritoneal metastasis of human pancreatic cancer.