Local drug delivery of doxorubicin holds promise to improve the therapeutic efficacy and to reduce toxicity profiles. Here, we investigated the release of doxorubicin from thermosensitive liposomes (Dox-TSL) into human glioblastoma (U-87MG) cells. Using Dox-TSL, experiments were carried out in a water bath and showed that 15 min incubation of TSL at 43°C induced the release of 80% doxorubicin loaded TSL compared to the release at 37°C. The cytotoxicity of a range of concentrations of Dox-TSL was also evaluated on U-87MG cells. At 37°C, no cytotoxicity was observed, whereas at 43°C the results showed that the cytotoxicity is dose dependent. At maximal dose of doxorubicin (30 μg/mL), the cell viability was less than 20%. Application of 15 min of HIFU at 1 MHz, 1.5 MPa and 50% duty cycle induced the release of 100% of doxorubicin from Dox-TSL. In the same experimental condition, the cell viability decreased to 40% and 20% at 12h and 48h, respectively, in comparison to that obtained during the incubation of cells with Dox-TSL alone without HIFU. In conclusion, a significant release of doxorubicin from temperature-sensitive liposomes can be achieved leading to an efficient treatment and cell death of tumor cells using HIFU.

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