| Abstract Scope |
Fibroblasts are crucial in wound healing, synthesizing extracellular matrix and collagen, and supporting the wound healing process by differentiating into myofibroblasts. Myofibroblasts promote wound healing and wound closure; however, in the presence of cancer, myofibroblasts can act as cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), enhancing tumor progression, metastasis, and resistance to chemo- and radiotherapy drugs. Therefore, there is a need to synthesize drug delivery vehicles that can actively target CAFs, while being more toxic to CAFs compared to fibroblasts. We investigated four different sizes of DOPE:DOPC liposomes (50, 100, 200, and 400 nm) for their selective targetability and internalization. Liposomes of 400 nm resulted in a variety of concentrations that can be used to target CAFs while presenting no harm to healthy cells. Moreover, sizes 100 and 200 nm can also be used at different concentrations to target CAFs. This study establishes a strong basis for using modification-free liposomal selective targeting. |