Co-delivery of Gefitinib and Lycorine Hydrochloride Enriched Liposome Functionalized with Trastuzumab and iRGD for Synergistic Therapy of Metastatic Breast Cancer

Gefitinib (GEF) is an epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) inhibitor which is responsible for proliferation and metastases of HER2 positive breast cancer.Lycorine hydrochloride (LYCO) derived from Lycoris radiata, possess melanoma vasculogenic inhibition and antitumor activity.Nanoparticles, especially liposomes, provide suitable platform for encapsulating lipophilic and hydrophilic drugs.Trastuzumab (TZB) especially targets HER2 positive breast cancer.Tumour penetrating peptide (iRGD), targeting v3/v5 receptors which are overexpressed in HER2 positive breast cancer.This peptide facilitates the delivery of therapeutic agents within tumour cells.The study is mainly composed of formulation of GEF and LYCO co-loaded liposomes and functionalized with TZB and iRGD peptide to enhance tumour targeting.The developed formulation was characterized for particle size (PS), polydispersity index (PDI) and zeta potential (mV), entrapment efficiency (%) and in-vitro drug release profile.Additionally, their surface morphology was confirmed by SEM and TEM analysis.Moreover, cellular uptake studies on MCF-7 cells exhibited higher uptake as compared to conventional liposome.Scratch assay demonstrated significant reduction in cell migration on MCF-7 cells after 24 hours.These data collectively suggested that dual anticancer drug-loaded liposome surface decorated with TZB and iRGD might be a promising therapeutic approach for HER2 positive breast cancer.