Temperature-sensitive liposomes for co-delivery of tamoxifen and imatinib for synergistic breast cancer treatment

Co-delivery of chemotherapeutic agents using nanocarriers is a promising strategy for enhancing therapeutic efficacy of anticancer agents. The aim of this work was to develop tamoxifen and imatinib dual drug loaded temperature-sensitive liposomes to treat breast cancer. Liposomes were prepared using 1, 2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DPPC), monopalmitoyl-2-hydroxy-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (MPPC), and different surface active agents. The liposomes were characterized for the average particle size, zeta potential, transition temperature, and drug release below and above liposomal transition temperature. The temperature-sensitive liposomes co-encapsulated with tamoxifen and imatinib were investigated for their synergistic activity against MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells. The liposomal nanoparticles showed a transition temperature of 39.4 °C and >70% encapsulation efficiency for tamoxifen and imatinib. The temperature-responsive liposomes showed more than 80% drug released within 30 min above transition temperature. Dual drug loaded liposomes showed synergistic growth inhibition against MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells. Co-delivery of tamoxifen and imatinib using temperature-sensitive liposomes can be developed as a potential targeting strategy against breast cancer.