A novel UTMD system facilitating nucleic acid delivery into MDA-MB-231 cells

Advances in Ultrasound-Targeted Microbubble Destruction (UTMD) for Breast Cancer Therapy

Breast cancer is one of the most common types of cancer in women worldwide and is a leading cause of cancer deaths among women. As a result, various treatments have been developed to combat this disease. Breast cancer treatment varies based on its stage and type of pathology. Among the therapeutic options, ultrasound has been employed to assist in the treatment of breast cancer, including radiation therapy, chemotherapy, targeted immunotherapy, hormonal therapy, and, more recently, radiofrequency ablation for early-stage and inoperable patients. One notable advancement is ultrasound-targeted microbubble destruction (UTMD), which is gradually becoming a highly effective and non-invasive anti-tumor modality. This technique can enhance chemical, genetic, immune, and anti-vascular therapies through its physical and biological effects. Specifically, UTMD improves drug transfer efficiency and destroys tumor neovascularization while reducing toxic side effects on the body during tumor treatment. Given these developments, the application of ultrasound-assisted therapy to breast cancer has gained significant attention from research scholars. In this review, we will discuss the development of various therapeutic modalities for breast cancer and, importantly, highlight the application of ultrasound microbubble-targeted disruption techniques in breast cancer treatment.

Ultrasound-targeted microbubble destruction improves the suppression and magnetic resonance imaging of pancreatic cancer with polyethyleneimine nanogels

The chemoresistance of pancreatic cancer tumors urgently needs to be addressed. Pancreatic cancer is characterized by an abundant stroma, with significant fibrous connective tissue formation that encapsulates the tumor parenchyma and forms an interstitial microenvironment. Pancreatic stellate cells (PSCs) play a crucial role in this microenvironment and specially secrete periosteal protein (periostin), which can promote tumor growth, metastasis, and chemoresistance. Therefore, periostin has become a specific target of chemotherapy resistance intervention methods. The proposed polyethyleneimine (PEI) nanogels have multiple modification and efficient drug-loading properties. Additionally, ultrasound-targeted microbubble destruction (UTMD) supports the breakdown of the tough interstitial barrier of pancreatic cancer. A small interfering RNA (siRNA) can be used to downregulated the periostin gene, while sustained release of gemcitabine can promote killing of tumor cells. This method achieves a combination of gene silencing and chemotherapy. The imaging effect can be evaluated using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The ultimate goal of this work is to support individualized and effective therapeutic methods and help develop new strategies for pancreatic cancer treatment.

Non-coding RNAs as potential therapeutic targets for receptor tyrosine kinase signaling in solid tumors: current status and future directions

This review article presents an in-depth analysis of the current state of research on receptor tyrosine kinase regulatory non-coding RNAs (RTK-RNAs) in solid tumors. RTK-RNAs belong to a class of non-coding RNAs (nc-RNAs) responsible for regulating the expression and activity of receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs), which play a critical role in cancer development and progression. The article explores the molecular mechanisms through which RTK-RNAs modulate RTK signaling pathways and highlights recent advancements in the field. This include the identification of potential new RTK-RNAs and development of therapeutic strategies targeting RTK-RNAs. While the review discusses promising results from a variety of studies, encompassing in vitro, in vivo, and clinical investigations, it is important to acknowledge the challenges and limitations associated with targeting RTK-RNAs for therapeutic applications. Further studies involving various cancer cell lines, animal models, and ultimately, patients are necessary to validate the efficacy of targeting RTK-RNAs. The specificity of ncRNAs in targeting cellular pathways grants them tremendous potential, but careful consideration is required to minimize off-target effects, the article additionally discusses the potential clinical applications of RTK-RNAs as biomarkers for cancer diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment. In essence, by providing a comprehensive overview of the current understanding of RTK-RNAs in solid tumors, this review emphasizes their potential as therapeutic targets for cancer while acknowledging the associated challenges and limitations.

Ultrasound microbubble-mediated RNA interference targeting WNT1 inducible signaling pathway protein 1(WISP1) suppresses the proliferation and metastasis of breast cancer cells

In the context of relatively sufficient research that annotated WNT1 inducible signaling pathway protein 1 (WISP1) as a promoting factor in tumor progression of breast cancer, and identified the effects of ultrasound microbubble technology on enhancing the transfection efficiency and achieving better gene interference, this study managed to investigate the effects of ultrasound microbubble-mediated siWISP1 transfection on proliferation and metastasis of breast cancer cells. To achieve our research objectives, the expression of WISP1 in breast cancer tissues was retrieved from GEPIA website, and the viability of breast cancer cells (SK-BR-3 and MCF7) was assessed by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay for ultrasound intensity screening. After the transfection of siWISP1 by ultrasound microbubble or lipofectamine 6000, the content of WISP1 secreted by cells was detected through Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and WISP1 expression in cells was determined by quantitative reverse transcription polymerase-chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Besides, the cell invasion, migration, and proliferation were evaluated by wound healing, transwell, and EdU assays, respectively. In accordance with experimental results, WISP1 was highly expressed in breast cancer tissues, and the 1 W/cm² intensity was the onset of a notable decrease in cell viability. Compared with lipofectamine 6000 transfection, the transfection of siWISP1 mediated by ultrasound microbubble further reduced the expression of WISP1, and meanwhile suppressed cell invasion, migration, and proliferation. Collectively, ultrasound microbubble-mediated transfection of siWISP1 worked rather effectively in improving transfection efficiency and inhibiting the progression of breast cancer.

A comprehensive update of micro- and nanobubbles as theranostics in oncology

Advances in diagnostic and imaging capabilities have allowed cancers to be detected earlier and characterized more robustly. These strategies have recently branched into theranostics whereby contrast agents traditionally used for imaging have been co-loaded with therapeutics to simultaneously diagnose and treat cancers in a patient-specific manner. Microbubbles (MB) and nanobubbles (NB) are contrast agents which can be modulated to meet the theranostic needs particularly in the realm of oncology. The current review focuses on the ultrasound-responsive MB/NB platforms used as a theranostic tool in oncology. We discuss in detail the key parameters that influence the utility of MB/NB formulations and implications of such treatment modalities. Recent advances in composition strategies, latest works in the pre-clinical stages and multiple paradigm-shifting innovations in the field of MB/NB are discussed in-depth in this review. The clinical application of MB/NB is currently limited to diagnostic imaging. Surface chemistry modification strategies will help tune the formulations toward therapeutic applications. It is also anticipated that MB/NB will see increased use to deliver gas therapeutics. Scalability and stability considerations will be at the forefront as these particles get introduced into the clinical theranostic toolbox.

UTMD promoted local delivery of miR-34a-mimic for ovarian cancer therapy

MicroRNA-mediated gene therapy is emerging as a promising method for the treatment of ovarian cancer, but the development of miRNA mimic delivery vectors is still in its infancy, where the safety and efficacy of miR-34a-mimic remain unknown. Ultrasound-targeted microbubble destruction (UTMD) can be an effective and minimally invasive tool for the delivery of miR-34a-mimic in vitro and in vivo. Here, we describe a high-efficiency gene delivery strategy by using miR-34a-mimic loaded folate modified microbubbles (miR-34a-FM) with a portable ultrasonic irradiation system. Ultrasonic parameters, including acoustic intensity (AI), exposure time (ET) and duty cycle (DC), were optimized and the optimal acoustic condition (1.0 W/cm², 20 s, and 15% DC) was used to deliver miRNA-34a into cells in vitro. MiR-34a mimic was successfully introduced into the cytoplasm and was found to inhibit proliferation and induce apoptosis of SK-OV-3 cells. Next, miR-34a-mimic was delivered to tumor tissue via UTMD, inhibiting tumor growth and prolonging the survival time of mice. In summary, UTMD-mediated miR-34a-mimic delivery has potential application in the clinical treatment of ovarian cancer.