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Gaballo A, Ragusa A, Nobile C, Gallo N, Salvatore L, Piccirillo C, Nito A, Caputo A, Guida G, Zito A, Filotico R, Quarta A. Enhanced Delivery of 5-Aminolevulinic Acid by Lecithin Invasomes in 3D Melanoma Cancer Model. Mol Pharm 2023; 20:5593-5606. [PMID: 37755323 PMCID: PMC10630953 DOI: 10.1021/acs.molpharmaceut.3c00494] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2023] [Revised: 09/11/2023] [Accepted: 09/12/2023] [Indexed: 09/28/2023]
Abstract
Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a noninvasive therapeutic approach for the treatment of skin cancer and diseases. 5-Aminolevulinic acid is a prodrug clinically approved for PDT. Once internalized by cancer cells, it is rapidly metabolized to the photosensitizer protoporphyrin IX, which under the proper light irradiation, stimulates the deleterious reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and leads to cell death. The high hydrophilicity of 5-aminolevulinic acid limits its capability to cross the epidermis. Lipophilic derivatives of 5-aminolevulinic acid only partly improved skin penetration, thus making its incorporation into nanocarriers necessary. Here we have developed and characterized 5-aminolevulinic acid loaded invasomes made of egg lecithin, either 1,2-dilauroyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine or 1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine, and the terpene limonene. The obtained invasomes are highly thermostable and display a spherical morphology with an average size of 150 nm and an encapsulation efficiency of 80%; moreover, the ex vivo epidermis diffusion tests established that nanovesicles containing the terpene led to a much higher skin penetration (up to 80% in 3 h) compared to those without limonene and to the free fluorescent tracer (less than 50%). Finally, in vitro studies with 2D and 3D human cell models of melanoma proved the biocompatibility of invasomes, the enhanced intracellular transport of 5-aminolevulinic acid, its ability to generate ROS upon irradiation, and consequently, its antiproliferative effect. A simplified scaffold-based 3D skin model containing melanoma spheroids was also prepared. Considering the results obtained, we conclude that the lecithin invasomes loaded with 5-aminolevulinic acid have a good therapeutic potential and may represent an efficient tool that can be considered a valid alternative in the topical treatment of melanoma and other skin diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonio Gaballo
- Consiglio
Nazionale delle Ricerche, Institute of Nanotechnology, via Monteroni, Lecce, 73100, Italy
| | - Andrea Ragusa
- Department
of Biological and Environmental Sciences and Technologies, University of Salento, via Monteroni, Lecce, 73100, Italy
| | - Concetta Nobile
- Consiglio
Nazionale delle Ricerche, Institute of Nanotechnology, via Monteroni, Lecce, 73100, Italy
| | - Nunzia Gallo
- Department
of Engineering for Innovation, University
of Salento, via Monteroni, Lecce, 73100, Italy
| | - Luca Salvatore
- Typeone
Biomaterials Srl, Muro Leccese, Lecce, 73036, Italy
| | - Clara Piccirillo
- Consiglio
Nazionale delle Ricerche, Institute of Nanotechnology, via Monteroni, Lecce, 73100, Italy
| | - Alessia Nito
- Consiglio
Nazionale delle Ricerche, Institute of Nanotechnology, via Monteroni, Lecce, 73100, Italy
| | - Annalisa Caputo
- Consiglio
Nazionale delle Ricerche, Institute of Nanotechnology, via Monteroni, Lecce, 73100, Italy
| | - Gabriella Guida
- Department
of Basic Medical Sciences Neurosciences and Sense Organs, University of Bari, Bari, 70124, Italy
| | - Alfredo Zito
- Pathology
Department, IRCCS Istituto Tumori “Giovanni
Paolo II”, Bari, 70124, Italy
| | - Raffaele Filotico
- Dermato-Oncology
Unit, IRCCS Istituto Tumori “Giovanni
Paolo II”, Bari, 70124, Italy
- Section
of Dermatology and Venereology, Department of Precision and Regenerative
Medicine and Ionian Area (DiMePRe-J), University
of Bari “Aldo Moro”, Bari, 70124, Italy
| | - Alessandra Quarta
- Consiglio
Nazionale delle Ricerche, Institute of Nanotechnology, via Monteroni, Lecce, 73100, Italy
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