In this study we investigated the feasibility of mixed
liposomes formed by dimyristoyl-sn-glycero-
phosphatidylcholine (
DMPC) and cationic gemini
surfactant (Gemini 1) loaded with the
chlorin m-tetrahydroxyphenylchlorin (
m-THPC), in
photodynamic therapy (
PDT) for
glioma. To this aim, an in vitro study was carried out by employing various human
glioblastoma cell lines (A172, DBTRG, LN229, U118). The following liposomal formulations were tested: (i)
DMPC and Gemini 1; (ii)
m-THPC in
DMPC in the absence or (iii) in the presence of Gemini 1 in the molar ratio 8:2; 7:3, and 6:4. The presence of Gemini 1 significantly increased the intracellular uptake of
chlorin in all cell tested although with a different extent: LN229>U118>A172>DBTRG. The cytotoxicity of
chlorin-loaded
liposomes was then tested by cloning efficiency performed on different cultures, before and after irradiation with
laser light at 652nm, at a Fluence Rate of 200mW/s for 100s, with a total Fluence of 20J/cm(-2). In the absence of irradiation, the different liposomal formulations induced a cytotoxicity in less than 30% of
glioblastoma cells. On the contrary, irradiation induced total destruction of all cultures treated with
m-THPC/DMPC+Gemini 1 in the ratios 8:2, or 7:3, or 6:4.