Uptake of liposomes by Peyer´s patches following per os administration in mice

Abstract

The aim of this study was to employ a model protein, the bovine serum albumin (SAB), radiolabelled with 99mTechnetium (99mTc) (99mTc-SAB) and encapsulated into liposomes, in order to determine the amount de 99mTc-SAB taken up by Peyer´s patches following per os administration in mice Balb/c. The 99mTc-SAB, labelling yield of 94.9±2.4 % (n=25), was encapsulated within multilamellar large vesicles (MLV), small unilamellar vesicles (SUV) or large unilamellar vesicles (LUV) composed of soybean phosphatidylcholine (PC); PC and cholesterol (CH) (molar ratio 8/2); PC, CH and phosphatidylglicerol (PG) (molar ratio 7/2/1) or distearoylphosphatidylcholine (DSPC), CH and PG (molar ratio 7/2/1). A gel electrophoresis and a gel immunoelectrophoresis, using a specific anti-SAB serum immunoglobulin, were employed to evaluate the integrity of SAB after labelling with 99mTc and after encapsulation into liposomes. Labelling with 99mTc and liposome encapsulation did not result in degradation of SAB. SUVencapsulated-99mTc-SAB was preferentially taken up by Peyer´s patches. Uptake of LUV-encapsulated-99mTc-SAB by Peyer´s patches was reduced when compared with that observed for the SUV-encapsulated-99mTc-SAB. 99mTc-SAB encapsulated into SUV composed of PC or PC/CH was not uptaked by Peyer´s patches. The lipid composition (PC or DSPC/CH/PG) of SUV did not modify 99mTc-SAB uptake by Peyer´s patches. In conclusion, SUV might be an effective carrier for unstable antigens administered per os to induce mucosal immune response.