Stabilization of retinol through incorporation into liposomes

Chemical and photochemical processes during storage and preparation rapidly degrade retinol, the most active form of vitamin A. Therefore, the efficacy of incorporation into liposomes in order to modulate the kinetics of retinol degradation was investigated. Retinol was readily incorporated into multilamellar liposomes that were prepared from soybean phosphatidylcholine; the extent of the incorporation was 98.14 +/- 0.93% at pH 9.0 at a ratio of 0.01 : 1 (wt : wt) retinol : phospholipid. It was only marginally lower at higher retinol concentrations. The pH of the hydration buffer had a small effect. The incorporation efficiency ranged from 99.25 +/- 0.47% at pH 3 to 97.45 +/- 1.13% at pH 11. The time course of the retinol degradation in the aqueous solution in liposomes was compared to that of free retinol and free retinol with alpha-tocopherol under a variety of conditions of pH (3, 7, and 11), temperature (4, 25, 37, and 50 degrees ), and light exposure (dark, visible, and UV). The retinol that was incorporated into the liposomes degraded significantly slower than the free retinol or retinol with alpha-tocopherol at pH 7 and 11. At pH 3, where the free retinol degrades rapidly, the degradation kinetics were similar in liposomes and the presence of alpha-tocopherol. At pH 7.0 and 4 degrees in the light, for example, free aqueous retinol was completely degraded within 2 days, while only 20% of the retinol in the liposomes were degraded after 8 days. In general, the protective effect of the liposome incorporation was greater at low temperatures, at neutral and high pH, and in the dark. The results suggest that protection is greater in the solid, gel phase than in the fluid liquid crystalline phase lipids. These results indicate that the incorporation into liposomes can extend the shelf-life of retinol under a variety of conditions of temperature, pH, and ambient light conditions.     

Possible influence of lysophospholipase on the production of 1-acyl-2-acetylglycerophosphocholine in macrophages.

The rate of production of 1-O-alkyl-2-acetyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (PAF) and 1-acyl-2-acetyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (acylPAF) was measured in macrophages following the incorporation of [3H]acetate. Upon activation by A23187, guinea pig alveolar macrophages incorporated [3H]acetate into PAF, but a little radioactivity was found in acylPAF. However, labeling of acylPAF and PAF with [3H]acetate was greatly enhanced in A23187-stimulated alveolar macrophages that had been pretreated with phenylmethanesulphonyl fluoride (PMSF). [3H]PAF was predominantly converted to 1-[3H]alkyl-2-acyl glycerophosphocholine, but [14C]acylPAF rapidly hydrolyzed to 14C-labeled free fatty acid by the incubation with lysates prepared from macrophages. The deacetylation of [14C]acylPAF and [3H]PAF by acetylhydrolase and also the hydrolysis of [14C]lysoPC by lysophospholipase were strongly inhibited in macrophages that had been pretreated with PMSF, while PMSF failed to inhibit the activities of acetyltransferase and acyltransferase. The relative proportions of PAF and acylPAF were quite different in different types of cells. In contrast to alveolar macrophages, peritoneal macrophages, neutrophils and spleen cells from guinea pigs incorporated 2-4 times more [3H]acetate into acylPAF than into PAF. The presence of high levels of acylPAF in peritoneal macrophages was confirmed by GLC-MS analysis. The activities of lysophospholipase, acetylhydrolase and acetyltransferase were measured in alveolar and peritoneal macrophages to determine whether the preferential formation of acylPAF as compared to PAF in peritoneal macrophages was due to differences in these activities between alveolar and peritoneal macrophages. The activity of acetylhydrolase of peritoneal macrophages was almost the same as that in alveolar macrophages. The activity of acetyltransferase in peritoneal macrophages was about half of that in alveolar macrophages. However, the activity of lysophospholipase in peritoneal macrophages was one-sixth of that in alveolar macrophages. These results suggest that lysophospholipase is one of the primary factors involved in the control of the production of acylPAF in activated cells, and that it acts by modulating the availability of lysoPC for the synthesis of acylPAF. Furthermore, high levels of activity of lysophospholipase allow the preferential formation of PAF, via the rapid hydrolysis of lysoPC which would act as a competitive inhibitor of the incorporation of acetate into lysoPAF.     

Receptor-dependent metabolism of platelet-activating factor in murine macrophages.

Degradation of platelet-activating factor (PAF) was examined by incubating PAF with macrophages from PAF receptor-deficient mice. The degradation rate was halved as compared with wild-type mice. The reduction of the rate was comparable with the presence of a PAF antagonist WEB 2086 in wild-type cells. PAF was internalized rapidly (t(12) approximately 1 min) into wild-type macrophages. The PAF internalization was inhibited by the treatment of 0.45 m sucrose but was not affected by phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate, suggesting that PAF internalizes into macrophages with its receptor in a clathrin-dependent manner. Internalized PAF was degraded into lyso-PAF with a half-life of 20 min. Treatment of concanavalin A inhibited the conversion of PAF into lyso-PAF, suggesting that uptake of PAF enhances PAF degradation. Lyso-PAF was subsequently metabolized into 1-alkyl-2-acyl-phosphatidylcholine. In addition, release of PAF acetylhydrolase from macrophages was enhanced when wild-type macrophages were stimulated with PAF but not from macrophages of PAF receptor-deficient mice. Thus, the PAF stimulation of macrophages leads to its degradation through both intracellular and extracellular mechanisms.     

In vitro activation of tumoricidal properties in mouse macrophages using the chemotactic peptide N-formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine (FMLP) incorporated in liposomes

Summary We investigated the ability of free or liposome-incorporated synthetic chemotactic peptide N-formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine (FMLP) to generate tumoricidal properties in mouse macrophages. As FMLP contains three hydrophobic amino acid residues, it can readily be incorporated into multilamellar vesicles (MLV) consisting of phosphatidylcholine (PC) and phosphatidylserine (PS). The incorporation of FMLP into MLV with a PC:PS ratio of 7:3 mol at FMLP concentrations of up to 10^–4 M did not affect the phagocytosis of liposomes by mouse peritoneal macrophages. Studies with radioactive FMLP revealed that higher levels of FMLP can be delivered to macrophages by liposomes than in the free, nonencapsulated form. Treatment of mouse macrophages with liposome-encapsulated FMLP, but not with free FMLP, generated tumoricidal properties in the macrophages. The mechanism appears to involve an intracellular site since 100-fold concentrations of free FMLP or free N-acetyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine, the FMLP agonist, failed to competitively inhibit the macrophage's tumoricidal properties generated by liposome-encapsulated FMLP.     

A homogeneous immunoassay for the mycotoxin T-2 utilizing liposomes, monoclonal antibodies, and complement

The trichothecene mycotoxin T-2 is a fungal metabolite known to contaminate agricultural products and cause intoxication of humans and animals. We have developed a homogeneous competition inhibition assay for T-2 mycotoxin based on complement-mediated lysis of liposomes. The T-2 mycotoxin was converted to an acid chloride derivative, subsequently coupled to the amino group of phosphatidylethanolamine, and incorporated with the phospholipid into unilamellar liposomes. Carboxyfluorescein, which is self-quenched at high concentrations, was entrapped in the liposomes as a release marker. We used a monoclonal IgG1 antibody specific for T-2 mycotoxin and a polyclonal anti-mouse Ig as a secondary antibody since the anti-T-2 IgG1 does not activate complement. In the absence of free T-2, the liposomes were lysed within 30 min after the addition of complement, releasing carboxyfluorescein into the surrounding buffer. In the presence of free T-2 toxin, the binding of antibodies to the liposomes was reduced, causing a corresponding decrease in lysis. This assay proved to be sensitive to T-2 toxin levels as low as 2 ng, which is 10-fold more sensitive than the present enzyme immunoassay using the same antibodies.     

Differential effects of liposome-incorporation on liver macrophage activating potencies of rough lipopolysaccharide, lipid A, and muramyl dipeptide. Differences in susceptibility to lysosomal enzymes

We investigated the in vitro activation of rat liver macrophages to a tumor-cytotoxic state with muramyl dipeptide (MDP), rough LPS (Re-LPS) and lipid A in both a free and liposome-encapsulated form. The tumor cytotoxic state of the liver macrophages was determined with a [methyl-3H]thymidine release assay using C26 colon adenocarcinoma cells as target cells. As was shown previously, the encapsulation of MDP within multi-lamellar phospholipid vesicles greatly enhanced the activating potency of the drug; by contrast, encapsulation of Re-LPS or lipid A significantly reduced the activation of macrophages as compared to the free form of these agents. At a dose of 1 ng of free Re-LPS per ml a significant induction of tumor cell lysis was observed whereas a maximal level was obtained at a concentration of approximately 10 ng/ml. By encapsulation of Re-LPS in liposomes the activating potency diminished 20- to 100-fold. The minimal concentration required to induce detectable macrophage activation with free lipid A was 10 ng/ml, while liposome-encapsulated lipid A did not induce any detectable tumor cell lysis up to a concentration of 200 ng/ml. After a 1-h pre-incubation with a lysosomal fraction from rat liver at pH 4.8, the macrophage-activating potency of Re-LPS and lipid A was diminished by up to 95% whereas MDP remained fully active under these conditions. We conclude that, due to endocytic uptake of liposome-incorporated Re-LPS and lipid A and subsequent intralysosomal degradation, these immunomodulators are inactivated with respect to their potency to activate liver macrophages to tumor cytotoxicity.     

Activation of guinea pig peritoneal macrophages by platelet activating factor (PAF) and its agonists

The platelet activating factor (PAF: 1-O-alkyl-2-O-acetyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine) and its analogs were examined to determine their effects on guinea pig peritoneal macrophages. PAF activated macrophages, but its effect on macrophages was much weaker than that observed on platelets: the concentration required for 50% maximum activation was 8.5 X 10(-6) M for macrophages and 2.9 X 10(-10) M for platelets. Three PAF agonists, 1-O-octadecyl-2-O-(N,N-dimethylcarbamoyl)-glycero-3-phosphocholine (Compound I), 1-O-octadecyl-2-acetamido-2-deoxy-glycero-3-phosphocholine (Compound II), and 1-O-octadecyl-2-O-methyl-glycero-3-phosphocholine (Compound III), showed higher activity in stimulating macrophage function than PAF. The abilities of these non-metabolizable PAF agonists to activate macrophage paralleled their relative potency to induce platelet activation. The sn-3 enantiomers of PAF and Compound III exhibited activity, while the sn-1 did not. By comparing the activities of derivatives of Compound III, it was shown that the long-chain alkyl-ether group in the glycerol-1 position, a relatively small size of the substituent on the hydroxy group at the sn-2 position, and the choline moiety in the glycerol-3 position must play critical roles in the process of macrophage activation. A specific PAF antagonist, CV3988, which inhibits PAF-induced platelet activation and hypotension, inhibited the activation of macrophages caused by PAF and its agonists.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Macrophage activation: synergism between hybridoma MAF and poly(I). Poly(C) delivered by liposomes

High concentrations of a murine T cell hybridoma culture supernatant containing macrophage-activating factor (MAF) rendered resident mouse peritoneal macrophages cytotoxic for P815 mastocytoma cells. The capacity of the hybridoma-derived MAF (MAFH) to induce tumoricidal activity increased 10(3) to 10(4)-fold when the lymphokine was encapsulated into liposomes. Combinations of MAFH and poly(I) X poly(C) acted synergistically to render macrophages potently cytotoxic. Subthreshold (nonactivating) concentrations of free or liposome-encapsulated MAFH increased the potency of free poly(I) X poly(C) and liposome encapsulated poly(I) X poly(C). Either as free agent or encapsulated in liposomes, single-stranded poly(I) or poly(C) did not activate macrophages in the presence or absence of MAFH. Double-stranded poly(I) X poly(C) was thus required for macrophage activation and synergism with MAFH.     

Synthesis and release of platelet-activating factor by stimulated human mononuclear phagocytes

Platelet-activating factor (PAF) is a potent phospholipid mediator that may participate in inflammatory responses by virtue of its ability to activate platelets, leukocytes, and vascular cells. We examined the synthesis and release of PAF by human peripheral blood monocytes (PBM) isolated by countercurrent elutriation. PAF was produced after stimulation by calcium ionophore A23187 (IoA), opsonized zymosan (OpsZ), and PMA with a relative order of potency IoA much greater than OpsZ greater than PMA. The portion of PAF subsequently released from the cell was dependent on the specific agonist, the time of incubation, and the presence of albumin. Under optimal conditions, PBM released 67, 49 and 32% of the total PAF produced in response to IoA, OpsZ, and PMA, respectively. Changes in PAF metabolism were observed in PBM that were examined after short term adherence or differentiation into macrophages. Adherent PBM accumulated and released less PAF than suspended monocytes, and monocyte-derived macrophages produced less PAF than the parent PBM. The ability of monocytes to release significant amounts of newly synthesized PAF from the cell is unusual among human cell types, which in general retain the vast majority of the lipid, and may be of particular pathophysiologic importance.     

Transport of 125I-poly I : poly C incorporated in liposomes from the enteric cavity to the small intestine mucosa. An electron microscopic autoradiographic study

Transport of 125I-poly(I) : poly(C) incorporated into liposomes trough the small intestine mucose was investigated by electron microscopic autoradiography. With the migration of liposomes into the mucous layer on the luminal surface of the intestine up to the glycocalix level of microvilli these undergo degradation with the formation of monolayer liposomes from which polynucleotide is released. Later on the poly(I) : poly(C) or its fragments transported through the enterocytes to be accumulated in cells of the connective tissue stroma of the small intestine mucose. Part of polynucleotide was incorporated up to the arterial and lymphoid capillary level. Apparently, on the way of its transport the polynucleotide is affected by pancreatic and tissue nucleases. The accumulation of polynucleotide in macrophages, fibroblasts, lymphocytes, plasma cells and smooth muscle cells was traced. It is supposed that the polynucleotide accumulated in stroma of the small intestine mucose may preserve its interferon inducing activity.     

Platelet-activating factor-induced hydrolysis of phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate stimulates the production of reactive oxygen intermediates in macrophages.

To investigate the relationship between inositol lipid hydrolysis and reactive oxygen-intermediate (ROI) production in macrophages we have examined the effect of platelet-activating factor (PAF) on normal bone marrow-derived macrophages. Addition of PAF to macrophages prelabelled with [3H]inositol caused a marked and rapid increase in [3H]inositol trisphosphate levels. Similarly when PAF was added to [3H]-glycerol prelabelled macrophages there was a rapid increase in 1,2-diacyl[3H]glycerol levels. These events preceded any increase in the rate of PAF-stimulated ROI production by a discernible period of several seconds. Increasing concentrations of PAF led to a markedly similar increase in both ROI production and [3H]inositol lipid hydrolysis suggesting that inositol lipid hydrolysis may lead to the generation of ROI in macrophages. Further evidence that this is the case came from experiments in which pretreatment of macrophages with phorbol esters was shown to inhibit both PAF-stimulated [3H]inositol phosphate production and ROI production to a markedly similar degree. Similarly pertussis toxin inhibited both PAF-stimulated ROI production and [3H]inositol phosphate production. Phorbol esters were shown to activate ROI production in normal bone marrow-derived macrophages whereas the Ca2+ ionophore, A23187, did not. These experiments suggest that PAF stimulates a pertussis toxin-sensitive activation of inositol lipid hydrolysis leading to the formation of inositol trisphosphate and diacylglycerol. The diacylglycerol formed can then activate protein kinase C leading to the stimulation of ROI production in normal bone marrow-derived macrophages.     

Effect of adriamycin entrapped by sulfatide-containing liposomes on ovarian tumor-bearing nude mice

Sulfatide-containing liposomes showed the highest degree of adriamycin entrapment of all the liposomes tested. Adriamycin was bound to the sulfatide anions on the liposomal membrane, inserted into the membrane, and incorporated into the aqueous compartment of the vesicle. Liposome-entrapped adriamycin was maintained at a much higher blood level than free adriamycin, and reached a lower concentration in the heart than did the free drug, which might lead to lower cardiotoxicity of the drug. Incorporation of adriamycin into ovarian tumor transplanted into nude mice was increased when entrapped by the sulfatide-containing liposomes. Liposome-entrapped adriamycin did not induce the drastic loss of body weight which occurred with the free drug. The growth of ovarian tumor was inhibited by liposome-entrapped adriamycin to the same degree as free adriamycin. Having these advantages, sulfatide-containing liposomes could be useful carriers of adriamycin for cancer chemotherapy.     

Arachidonic acid turnover in response to lipopolysaccharide and opsonized zymosan in human monocyte-derived macrophages.

Macrophages are an important source of the lipid mediators, arachidonic acid metabolites and platelet-activating factor (PAF), produced during inflammation. Studies were undertaken to identify the phospholipid substrates that can serve as a source of arachidonic acid in human monocyte-derived macrophages exposed to the inflammatory stimuli bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and opsonized zymosan (OpZ). Since PAF is derived from 1-alkyl-2-acyl-glycerophosphocholine, it was of interest to determine if this phospholipid precursor could also serve as a source of arachidonic acid. The day-5 macrophages incorporated 38% of the available [3H]arachidonic acid into lipid by 4 h, 54% of which was in phospholipid [phosphatidylcholine (PC) greater than phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) greater than phosphatidylinositol (PI)]. The proportion of label incorporated into ether-linked PC and PE increased with time. After prelabelling with [3H]arachidonic acid, the effect of stimuli on the redistribution of label within phospholipids was followed. Without stimulus there was a loss of label from PC, PI and phosphatidic acid by 3 h, but an increase of label in PE. The [3H]arachidonic acid that was lost from PC in the absence of stimulus was derived solely from the 1-acyl-linked species of PC, whereas an increase in label occurred in the 1-alkyl-linked species of PC. By contrast, LPS stimulation resulted in a preferential, dose-dependent loss of label from PC and PI, which was maximal between 1 and 3 h after adding the LPS. In addition, LPS induced a 35% decrease in the molar quantity of PI in the macrophages but had no effect on the quantity of PC, PE or phosphatidylserine. Stimulation with OpZ also resulted in a loss of label, mainly from PC and PI. Of the total label lost from PC in response to LPS or OpZ, approx. 50% was derived from the 1-alkyl-linked species. The results suggest that phospholipase C- and phospholipase A2-mediated mechanisms for arachidonic acid release are activated in human macrophages exposed to the inflammatory stimuli LPS and OpZ. In addition, 1-alkyl-linked PC can serve as a source of arachidonic acid and as a precursor for PAF production in the stimulated macrophages.     

Stimulation of superoxide release in neutrophils by 1-oleoyl-2-acetylglycerol incorporated into pH-sensitive liposomes

Incorporation of 1-oleoyl-2-acetylglycerol (OAG) into multilamellar liposomes composed of egg phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) and arachidonic acid (AA) resulted in a significant enhancement of superoxide release by guinea pig neutrophils when compared to free OAG. OAG incorporated into liposomes containing phosphatidylcholine and arachidonic acid were generally less effective than free OAG. The potency of the liposomes correlates well with the ability of the liposomes to undergo lipid mixing at acidic pH. The enhanced effect of liposome-associated OAG could be related to exposure to an acidic environment in the endosomes/lysosomes once liposomes are endocytosed by neutrophils.     

Effect of cholesterol on the uptake and intracellular degradation of liposomes by liver and spleen; a combined biochemical and gamma-ray perturbed angular correlation study

We investigated the effect of cholesterol on the uptake and intracellular degradation of liposomes by rat liver and spleen macrophages. Multilamellar vesicles (MLV) consisting of distearoylphosphatidylcholine/phosphatidylserine (molar ratio 9:1) or distearoylphosphatidylcholine/cholesterol/phosphatidylserine (molar ratio 4:5:1) were labeled with [3H]cholesteryl hexadecyl ether and/or cholesteryl [14C]oleate. After i.v. injection the cholesterol-containing liposomes were eliminated less rapidly from the bloodstream and taken up to a lesser extent by the liver (macrophages) than the cholesterol-free liposomes. Assessment of the 3H/14C ratios in liver and spleen cells revealed that the cholesterol-containing liposomes are substantially more resistant towards intracellular degradation than the cholesterol-free liposomes. These results could be confirmed by measuring the release of 111In from liposomes after uptake by liver and spleen by means of gamma-ray perturbed angular correlation spectroscopy. Experiments with cultured Kupffer cells in monolayer also revealed that incorporation of cholesterol results in a decrease of the uptake and an increase of the intracellular stability of cholesteryl [14C]oleate-labeled liposomes. Finally, incubation of both types of liposomes with lysosomal fractions prepared from rat liver demonstrated a difference in susceptibility to lysosomal degradation: the cholesterol-free vesicles were much more sensitive to lysosomal esterase than the cholesterol-containing liposomes. These results may be relevant to the application of liposomes as a drug carrier system to liver and spleen (macrophages).     

PAF metabolism in resident and activated alveolar macrophages: role of protein kinase C

Platelet-activating factor (PAF) metabolism was studied in resident and activated alveolar macrophages. Macrophages were obtained from normal Sprague-Dawley rats and from rats previously injected with complete Freund's adjuvant. Macrophages were attached and stimulated for 90 min. Then, cell PAF was extracted and quantitated by thin-layer chromatography. We found that in both resident and activated macrophages, calcium ionophore A23187 was a potent stimulus for PAF production while phorbol myristate acetate (PMA) was not. PMA and ionophore acted synergistically to increase PAF content in resident macrophages. This synergism was not observed in activated macrophages. To examine if this difference between resident and activated macrophages was due to a difference in PAF degradation, we assayed acetylhydrolase, the PAF-degrading enzyme. We found that ionophore stimulated acetylhydrolase activity in activated macrophages, but not in resident macrophages. Furthermore, PMA potentiated the ionophore effect in activated macrophages. This synergism was less obvious in resident cells. We conclude that PAF metabolism is different in activated and resident alveolar macrophages. Protein kinase C may play an important role in acetylhydrolase regulation in these cells.     

Interaction of digitonin and its analogs with membrane cholesterol

The interaction of digitonin with membrane cholesterol was studied by using various digitonin analogs, and radioactive desglucodigitonin. The following results were obtained concerning the effect of digitonin on erythrocytes, granulocytes and liposomes. Digitonin and its analogs showed activity to induce hemolysis, granulocyte activation and liposomal membrane damage. The activity was affected by change of the carbohydrate residue of the molecule; the order of hemolytic activity was digitonin greater than or equal to desglucodigitonin much greater than glucosyl-galactosyl-digitogenin greater than galactosyl-digitogenin, digitogenin. The relative activities of these compounds to induce granulocyte activation and liposomal membrane damage were similar to those observed in the hemolysis. [3H]Desglucodigitonin could bind to cholesterol in liposomes. The binding was stoichiometric and the ratio of desglucodigitonin bound to liposomes/cholesterol in liposomes was close to 1, irrespective of the cholesterol content in liposome. Damage to liposomes was, however, induced by desglucodigitonin only when they contained more than 0.2 molar ratio of cholesterol to phospholipid. Addition of digitonin as well as desglucodigitonin to preformed liposomes deprived of cholesterol affected the anisotropic molecular motion of spin-labeled phosphatidylcholine incorporated into the liposomes, suggesting that the molecules could be inserted into the lipid bilayer free of cholesterol. Molecules of desglucodigitonin in the lipid phase may, however, be equilibrated with those in the aqueous phase, unless they form a complex with cholesterol, since no appreciable amount of [3H]desglucodigitonin could be detected in the liposome fraction after separation by column chromatography. Digitonin decreased the order parameter of spin-labeled phosphatidylcholine when liposomes contained equimolar cholesterol.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

The Effect of Cholesterol in the Liposome Bilayer on the Stabilization of Incorporated Retinol

The effect of cholesterol in the liposome bilayer on the stability of incorporated retinol was studied. Retinol was incorporated into liposomes containing soybean phosphatidylcholine (PC) and cholesterol (CH) at various ratios, and the liposomes were prepared as multilamellar vesicles by the dehydration–rehydration method. Retinol readily incorporated into liposomes at a ratio of 0.01:1 (w/w) retinol:lipid, with over 94.52% being incorporated in all conditions studied. The incorporation efficiency of retinol increased slightly with increasing CH content in the liposome and with increasing pH of the hydration buffer. Average particle size increased as the CH content increased, and mean particle sizes at pH 5, 7, and 9 were 30.27, 89.53, and 41.42 µm, respectively. The time course of retinol degradation in aqueous solution in liposomes with various ratios of PC to CH was determined under a variety of pH conditions (pH 5, 7, and 9), and temperatures (4, 25, 37, and 50°C). The stability of incorporated retinol was enhanced by increasing the CH content. At pH 7.0 and 4°C, for example, 90.17% of the retinol in liposomes containing 50:50 (PC:CH) remained after 10 days of storage, whereas 51.46% remained at 100:0 (PC:CH). These results indicate that CH in liposomes greatly increases the incorporation efficiency of retinol and the stability of incorporated retinol.