Liposomes with Water as a pH?Responsive Functionality for Targeting of Acidic Tumor and Infection Sites

A lipid named DCPA was synthesized under microwave-assisted heating. possesses a pyridine betaine, hydrophilic group that can be complexed with water through hydrogen bonding (DCPA-H2O). DCPA-H2O liposomes became protonated relatively fast already at pH<6.8, due to the high HOMO binding energy of DCPA-H2O. In murine models, had longer blood circulation times than natural DPPC or cationic DCPM liposomes, while after tail-vein injection targeted faster solid tumors and intra-abdominal infectious biofilms. Therapeutic efficacy in murine, infected wound-healing model injected ciprofloxacin-loaded exceeded ones clinically applied ciprofloxacin as well liposomes.