Targeting of liposomes via passively-adsorbed monclonal antibodies to human hepatocellular carcinoma cells in vitro

Abstract

Small unilamellar vesicles (SUV) were coated with monoclonal antibodies RF-HCC1 (IgG1), RF-HCC2 (IgM) and MOPC 21 IgG1, which bind to surface antigens on Mahlavu cells, by passive adsorption. Adsorption values for the three antibodies were 35.1%, 51.6% and 12.2% respectively. On incubation of the liposomes containing the aqueous marker carbocyfluorescein (CF) with Mahlavu cells in vitro at 4°C, it was seen that binding of antibody and association of CF with cells took place in a biphasic manner with maximal binding occuring by 1 hour followed by a plateau phase. These results indicate that passively-adsorbed antibodies represent a rapid, conventient and effective method of ligand-mediated targeting of SUV to cells in vitro.