Targeted therapy of intracranial glioma model mice with curcumin nanoliposomes

Background Glioma is the most aggressive and lethal brain tumor in humans, it comprises about 30 per cent of all brain tumors and central nervous system tumors. Purpose The objective of this study was to create novel brain-targeting nanoliposomes to encapsulate curcumin as a promising option for glioma therapy. Patients and methods Human glioma cells (U251MG) were used to determine cell uptake efficiency and possible internalization mechanism of the curcumin-loaded nanoliposomes modified by a brain-targeting peptide RDP. In addition, intracranial glioma mice model was prepared by transplantation of U251MG cells into the mice striatum, and then the liposomes were intravenously administered into the glioma-bearing mice to evaluate the anti-glioma activity. Results RDP-modified liposomes (RCL) could enter the brain and glioma region, and were internalized by the glioma cells perhaps through acetylcholine receptor-mediated endocytosis pathway. Furthermore, the RCL prolonged the survival time of the glioma-bearing mice from 23 to 33 days, and the inhibition mechanism of the RCL on glioma cell was partly due to cell cycle arrest at the S phase and induction of cell apoptosis. Conclusion This study would provide a potential approach for targeted delivery of drug-loaded liposomes for glioma treatment.