1
|
Maffett R, Boni E, Chee AJY, Yiu BYS, Savoia AS, Ramalli A, Tortoli P, Yu ACH. Unfocused Field Analysis of a Density-Tapered Spiral Array for High-Volume-Rate 3-D Ultrasound Imaging. IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON ULTRASONICS, FERROELECTRICS, AND FREQUENCY CONTROL 2022; 69:2810-2822. [PMID: 35786553 DOI: 10.1109/tuffc.2022.3188245] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Spiral array transducers with a sparse 2-D aperture have demonstrated their potential in realizing 3-D ultrasound imaging with reduced data rates. Nevertheless, their feasibility in high-volume-rate imaging based on unfocused transmissions has yet to be established. From a metrology standpoint, it is essential to characterize the acoustic field of unfocused transmissions from spiral arrays not only to assess their safety but also to identify the root cause of imaging irregularities due to the array's sparse aperture. Here, we present a field profile analysis of unfocused transmissions from a density-tapered spiral array transducer (256 hexagonal elements, 220- [Formula: see text] element diameter, and 1-cm aperture diameter) through both simulations and hydrophone measurements. We investigated plane- and diverging-wave transmissions (five-cycle, 7.5-MHz pulses) from 0° to 10° steering for their beam intensity characteristics and wavefront arrival time profiles. Unfocused firings were also tested for B-mode imaging performance (ten compounded angles, -5° to 5° span). The array was found to produce unfocused transmissions with a peak negative pressure of 93.9 kPa at 2 cm depth. All transmissions steered up to 5° were free of secondary lobes within 12 dB of the main beam peak intensity. All wavefront arrival time profiles were found to closely match the expected profiles with maximum root-mean-squared errors of [Formula: see text] for plane wave (PW) and [Formula: see text] for diverging wave. The B-mode images showed good spatial resolution with a penetration depth of 22 mm in PW imaging. Overall, these results demonstrate that the density-tapered spiral array can facilitate unfocused transmissions below regulatory limits (mechanical index: 0.034; spatial-peak, pulse-average intensity: 0.298 W/cm2) and with suppressed secondary lobes while maintaining smooth wavefronts.
Collapse
|
2
|
Duan X, Lo SY, Lee JCY, Wan JMF, Yu ACH. Sonoporation of Immune Cells: Heterogeneous Impact on Lymphocytes, Monocytes and Granulocytes. ULTRASOUND IN MEDICINE & BIOLOGY 2022; 48:1268-1281. [PMID: 35461725 DOI: 10.1016/j.ultrasmedbio.2022.02.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2021] [Revised: 02/23/2022] [Accepted: 02/24/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Microbubble-mediated ultrasound (MB-US) can be used to realize sonoporation and, in turn, facilitate the transfection of leukocytes in the immune system. Nevertheless, the bio-effects that can be induced by MB-US exposure on leukocytes have not been adequately studied, particularly for different leukocyte lineage subsets with distinct cytological characteristics. Here, we describe how that same set of MB-US exposure conditions would induce heterogeneous bio-effects on the three main leukocyte subsets: lymphocytes, monocytes and granulocytes. MB-US exposure was delivered by applying 1-MHz pulsed ultrasound (0.50-MPa peak negative pressure, 10% duty cycle, 30-s exposure period) in the presence of microbubbles (1:1 cell-to-bubble ratio); sonoporated and non-viable leukocytes were respectively labeled using calcein and propidium iodide. Flow cytometry was then performed to classify leukocytes into their corresponding subsets and to analyze each subset's post-exposure viability, sonoporation rate, uptake characteristics and morphology. Results revealed that, when subjected to MB-US exposure, granulocytes experienced the highest loss of viability (64.0 ± 11.0%) and the lowest sonoporation rate (6.3 ± 2.5%), despite maintaining their size and granularity. In contrast, lymphocytes exhibited the lowest loss of viability (20.9 ± 7.0%), while monocytes had the highest sonoporation rate (24.1 ± 13.6%). For these two sonoporated leukocyte subsets, their cell size and granularity were found to be reduced. Also, they exhibited graded levels of calcein uptake, whereas sonoporated granulocytes achieved only mild calcein uptake. These heterogeneous bio-effects should be accounted for when using MB-US and sonoporation in immunomodulation applications.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xinxing Duan
- Schlegel Research Institute for Aging and Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada; School of Biological Sciences, University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong, China
| | - Shun Yu Lo
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong, China
| | - Jetty C Y Lee
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong, China
| | - Jennifer M F Wan
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong, China
| | - Alfred C H Yu
- Schlegel Research Institute for Aging and Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Fan G, Qin J, Fu X, Si X, Li L, Yang K, Wang B, Lou H, Zhu J. Low-Intensity Focused Ultrasound Targeted Microbubble Destruction Enhanced Paclitaxel Sensitivity by Decreasing Autophagy in Paclitaxel-Resistant Ovarian Cancer. Front Oncol 2022; 12:823956. [PMID: 35574313 PMCID: PMC9098947 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.823956] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2021] [Accepted: 04/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Ultrasound targeted microbubble destruction (UTMD) was introduced as a promising method to improve anti-tumor therapeutic efficacy, while minimizing side effects to healthy tissues. Nevertheless, the acoustical phenomenon behind the UTMD as well as the exact mechanisms of autophagy action involved in the increased anti-cancer response are still not fully understood. Therefore, we examined the drug resistance-reversing effects of low-intensity focused ultrasound with microbubble (LIFU+MB) in paclitaxel (PTX)-resistant ovarian cancer cells. Cell viability was evaluated using CCK8 (Cell Counting Kit-8), apoptosis was detected by flow cytometry, quantitative real-time PCR and Western blot were used to detect the expressions of mRNA and protein, and autophagy was observed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). We revealed that the level of autophagy was increased (p < 0.05) in PTX-resistant ovarian cancer cells. Treatment of LIFU+MB combined with PTX can notably inhibit proliferation as well as increase apoptosis (p < 0.01) in drug-resistant cells. We proposed that LIFU+MB might affect the sensitivity of ovarian cancer cells to PTX by modulating autophagy. To verify the hypothesis, we analyzed the autophagy level of drug-resistant cells after the treatment of LIFU+MB and found that autophagy was significantly inhibited. Altogether, our findings demonstrated that LIFU+MB could reverse PTX resistance in ovarian cancer via inhibiting autophagy, which provides a novel strategy to improve chemosensitivity in ovarian cancer.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Gonglin Fan
- Department of Ultrasound, Sir Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jiale Qin
- Department of Ultrasound, Women’s Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xiaofeng Fu
- Department of Ultrasound, Sir Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xing Si
- Department of Ultrasound, Sir Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Liqiang Li
- State Key Laboratory of Fluid Power and Mechatronic Systems, School of Mechanical Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Keji Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Fluid Power and Mechatronic Systems, School of Mechanical Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Beibei Wang
- Center of Cryo-Electron Microscope (CCEM), Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Haiya Lou
- Department of Ultrasound, Sir Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jiang Zhu
- Department of Ultrasound, Women’s Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
- *Correspondence: Jiang Zhu,
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Tu J, Yu ACH. Ultrasound-Mediated Drug Delivery: Sonoporation Mechanisms, Biophysics, and Critical Factors. BME FRONTIERS 2022; 2022:9807347. [PMID: 37850169 PMCID: PMC10521752 DOI: 10.34133/2022/9807347] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2021] [Accepted: 12/31/2021] [Indexed: 10/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Sonoporation, or the use of ultrasound in the presence of cavitation nuclei to induce plasma membrane perforation, is well considered as an emerging physical approach to facilitate the delivery of drugs and genes to living cells. Nevertheless, this emerging drug delivery paradigm has not yet reached widespread clinical use, because the efficiency of sonoporation is often deemed to be mediocre due to the lack of detailed understanding of the pertinent scientific mechanisms. Here, we summarize the current observational evidence available on the notion of sonoporation, and we discuss the prevailing understanding of the physical and biological processes related to sonoporation. To facilitate systematic understanding, we also present how the extent of sonoporation is dependent on a multitude of factors related to acoustic excitation parameters (ultrasound frequency, pressure, cavitation dose, exposure time), microbubble parameters (size, concentration, bubble-to-cell distance, shell composition), and cellular properties (cell type, cell cycle, biochemical contents). By adopting a science-backed approach to the realization of sonoporation, ultrasound-mediated drug delivery can be more controllably achieved to viably enhance drug uptake into living cells with high sonoporation efficiency. This drug delivery approach, when coupled with concurrent advances in ultrasound imaging, has potential to become an effective therapeutic paradigm.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Juan Tu
- Key Laboratory of Modern Acoustics (MOE), Department of Physics, Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructure, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Alfred C. H. Yu
- Schlegel Research Institute for Aging, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Ultrasound-Enabled Therapeutic Delivery and Regenerative Medicine: Physical and Biological Perspectives. ACS Biomater Sci Eng 2021; 7:4371-4387. [PMID: 34460238 DOI: 10.1021/acsbiomaterials.1c00276] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
The role of ultrasound in medicine and biological sciences is expanding rapidly beyond its use in conventional diagnostic imaging. Numerous studies have reported the effects of ultrasound on cellular and tissue physiology. Advances in instrumentation and electronics have enabled successful in vivo applications of therapeutic ultrasound. Despite path breaking advances in understanding the biophysical and biological mechanisms at both microscopic and macroscopic scales, there remain substantial gaps. With the progression of research in this area, it is important to take stock of the current understanding of the field and to highlight important areas for future work. We present herein key developments in the biological applications of ultrasound especially in the context of nanoparticle delivery, drug delivery, and regenerative medicine. We conclude with a brief perspective on the current promise, limitations, and future directions for interfacing ultrasound technology with biological systems, which could provide guidance for future investigations in this interdisciplinary area.
Collapse
|
6
|
Duan X, Zhou Q, Wan JMF, Yu ACH. Sonoporation generates downstream cellular impact after membrane resealing. Sci Rep 2021; 11:5161. [PMID: 33664315 PMCID: PMC7933147 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-84341-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2020] [Accepted: 02/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Sonoporation via microbubble-mediated ultrasound exposure has shown potential in drug and gene delivery. However, there is a general lack of mechanistic knowledge on sonoporation-induced cellular impact after membrane resealing, and this issue has made it challenging to apply sonoporation efficiently in practice. Here, we present new evidence on how sonoporation, without endangering immediate cell viability, may disrupt downstream cellular hemostasis in ways that are distinguished from the bioeffects observed in other sonicated and unsonoporated cells. Sonoporation was realized on HL-60 leukemia cells by delivering pulsed ultrasound (1 MHz frequency, 0.50 MPa peak negative pressure; 10% duty cycle; 30 s exposure period; 29.1 J/cm2 acoustic energy density) in the presence of lipid-shelled microbubbles (1:1 cell-to-bubble ratio). Results showed that 54.6% of sonoporated cells, despite remaining initially viable, underwent apoptosis or necrosis at 24 h after sonoporation. Anti-proliferation behavior was also observed in sonoporated cells as their subpopulation size was reduced by 43.8% over 24 h. Preceding these cytotoxic events, the percentages of sonoporated cells in different cell cycle phases were found to be altered by 12 h after exposure. As well, for sonoporated cells, their expressions of cytoprotective genes in the heat shock protein-70 (HSP-70) family were upregulated by at least 4.1 fold at 3 h after exposure. Taken altogether, these findings indicate that sonoporated cells attempted to restore homeostasis after membrane resealing, but many of them ultimately failed to recover. Such mechanistic knowledge should be taken into account to devise more efficient sonoporation-mediated therapeutic protocols.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xinxing Duan
- Schlegel Research Institute for Aging & Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, Canada.,School of Biological Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Qian Zhou
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Jennifer M F Wan
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
| | - Alfred C H Yu
- Schlegel Research Institute for Aging & Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, Canada.
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Cao J, Hu C, Zhou H, Qiu F, Chen J, Zhang J, Huang P. Microbubble-Mediated Cavitation Promotes Apoptosis and Suppresses Invasion in AsPC-1 Cells. ULTRASOUND IN MEDICINE & BIOLOGY 2021; 47:323-333. [PMID: 33221141 DOI: 10.1016/j.ultrasmedbio.2020.10.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2020] [Revised: 10/16/2020] [Accepted: 10/23/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
The aim of this study was to identify the potential and mechanisms of microbubble-mediated cavitation in promoting apoptosis and suppressing invasion in cancer cells. AsPC-1 cells were used and divided into four groups: control group, microbubble-only (MB) group, ultrasound-only (US) group and ultrasound plus microbubble (US + MB) group. Pulse ultrasound was used at a frequency of 360 kHz and a SPPA (spatial peak, pulse average) intensity of 1.4 W/cm2 for 1 min (duty rate = 50%). Then cells in the four groups were cultured for 24 h. Cell Counting Kit‑8 (Biosharp, Hefei, Anhui, China) revealed decreased cell viability in the US + MB group. Western blot confirmed that there were increased cleaved caspase‑3 and Bcl-2-associated X protein levels and decreased B‑cell lymphoma‑2 (Bcl-2) levels, as well as increased intracellular calcium ions and downregulated cleaved caspase-8, in the US + MB group. With respect to proliferation, cells in the US + MB group had lower expression of Ki67 and the weakened colony formation ability. The transwell invasion assay revealed that invasion ability could be decreased in AsPC-1 cells in the US + MB group. Further, it was found that cells in the US + MB group had lower levels of hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) and vimentin and higher levels of E-cadherin compared with the other three groups. Finally, the US + MB cells had less invadopodium formation. In conclusion, these results suggest that microbubble-mediated cavitation promotes apoptosis and suppresses invasion in AsPC-1 cells.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jing Cao
- Department of Ultrasound, Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Chenlu Hu
- Department of Interventional Ultrasound, Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Hang Zhou
- Department of Ultrasound, Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Fuqiang Qiu
- Department of Ultrasound, Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Jifan Chen
- Department of Ultrasound, Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Jun Zhang
- Hangzhou Applied Acoustic Research Institute, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Pintong Huang
- Department of Ultrasound, Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.
| |
Collapse
|