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    brittykitty's Avatar
    brittykitty Posts: 76, Reputation: 2
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    #1

    Nov 5, 2008, 05:06 PM
    Liposomes and cancer
    What are the advantages of using liposomes in HIV and cancer treatment?
    tickle's Avatar
    tickle Posts: 23,796, Reputation: 2674
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    #2

    Nov 5, 2008, 05:17 PM

    In order to know the advantage of using this treatment, you have to know how it works, this is h how liposome treatment works:

    How is this medicinal product expected to act?
    When cells divide and grow, there are structures (tubules) inside the cells that need to assemble and disassemble in a very orderly way. Paclitaxel (Paclitaxel is a mitotic inhibitor used in cancer chemotherapy) interferes with the assembly of these tubules and subsequently with the growth of cells. Liposomal paclitaxel is delivered to the cancer cells in the tumour in little lipid particles (liposomes) that bind specifically to the cells that line blood vessels.

    Paclitaxel (liposomal) will, by inhibiting the growth of newly formed blood
    Vessels, contribute to the destruction of the (cancerous) tumour.

    Sorry, can't answer about the HIV. But it was a good question and I hope not for homework.
    jem02081's Avatar
    jem02081 Posts: 65, Reputation: 19
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    #3

    Nov 5, 2008, 09:26 PM

    First what is a liposome?. from Wikipedia "A liposome is a tiny bubble (vesicle), made out of the same material as a cell membrane. Liposomes can be filled with drugs, and used to deliver drugs for cancer and other diseases."
    So a liposome is a "container" that you can put a drug in.
    The hard part is delivering the drug containing liposome to the tumor cell or HIV infected cell. One way would be to attach an antibody to the liposome which will target it to the desired cell.
    asking's Avatar
    asking Posts: 2,673, Reputation: 660
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    #4

    Nov 8, 2008, 09:31 AM

    Advantages over what? I think you need to know what treatments you are comparing liposomes to.

    Are liposomes more targeted than other drug therapies because they use an antibody to deliver to only HIV infected cells and not attack non infected cells? I don't know. I'm just guessing based on the last two answers. BrittyKitty, you need to find out if that is true, or if Liposomes have some other advantage.
    medgen's Avatar
    medgen Posts: 32, Reputation: 5
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    #5

    Dec 13, 2008, 06:16 PM

    Having made many liposomes in my time and at that time working next to the lab of one of the pioneers in the field, I think I might be able to help (albeit belatedly).

    Liposomes refer to anything encapsulated in a cell membrane-like layer of lipids. The idea is to encapsulate very harsh cancer drugs in liposomes with specific antibodies in the membranes that target only cancer cells. When the antibodies recognize the target cell the liposomes fuse with them, deliver the toxins and kill them in a highly specific manner.
    lexxiclark's Avatar
    lexxiclark Posts: 1, Reputation: 1
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    #6

    Feb 15, 2013, 10:33 AM
    One advantage is that liposomes can circulate in the bloodstream longer than the medication on its own can, allowing for longer, sustained treatment. Another advantage is that liposomes can concentrate themselves at the site of the tumor or infection and deliver the drug directly to the targeted cells.
    tickle's Avatar
    tickle Posts: 23,796, Reputation: 2674
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    #7

    Feb 15, 2013, 01:03 PM
    lexxiclark, please check the timeline on your post, although your answer is helpful, this thread is from 2008.
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