A novel melittin nano-liposome exerted excellent anti-hepatocellular carcinoma efficacy with better biological safety

• Published in: Journal of hematology and oncology Vol. 10; no. 1; pp. 71 - 4
• Main Authors: Mao, Jie, Liu, Shujun, Ai, Min, Wang, Zhuo, Wang, Duowei, Li, Xianjing, Hu, Kaiyong, Gao, Xinghua, Yang, Yong
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England BioMed Central Ltd 20.03.2017; BioMed Central; BMC
• Subjects: Allergies; Animals; Anti-tumor activity; Antitumor agents; Apoptosis; B cells; Bee venom; Bees; Biochemistry; Biological safety; Cancer; Cancer therapies; Capsules - chemistry; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular - complications; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular - drug therapy; Flow cytometry; Hematology; Hepatocellular carcinoma; Hepatoma; Heterografts; Humans; Hypersensitivity - prevention & control; Inflammation - chemically induced; Inflammation - prevention & control; Laboratory animals; Letter to the Editor; Liposomes; Liver; Liver cancer; Liver Neoplasms - complications; Liver Neoplasms - drug therapy; Lymphocytes; Medical research; Medicine, Experimental; Melitten - administration & dosage; Melitten - adverse effects; Melitten - toxicity; Melittin nano-liposomes; Mice; Nanoparticles; Neutrophils; Oncology; Pain; Poloxamer - therapeutic use; Prevention; Proteins; Rodents; Side effects; Toxicity; Transplantation; Tumors; Venom; China; Biological safety; Melittin nano-liposomes; Bee venom; Anti-tumor activity
• ISSN: 1756-8722; 1756-8722
• DOI: 10.1186/s13045-017-0442-y

Melittin is the main effective component of bee venom and has extensive biological functions; however, serious side effects have restricted its clinical application. Preclinical and clinical studies showed that the main adverse events were allergic reaction and pain at the administration site. To decrease the toxicity, we prepared melittin nano-liposomes by encapsulating melittin with poloxamer 188 and explored the inhibitory activities on liver cancer together with biological safety. Here, we showed that melittin nano-liposomes significantly inhibited the survival of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells in vitro and prominently suppressed the growth of subcutaneous and orthotopic HCC transplantation tumors in vivo. It was important that it induced less inflammation and allergy in mice compared with melittin. Overall, melittin nano-liposomes would have a better application in HCC therapy due to its significant anti-tumor activity and better biological safety.