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Lei W, Chang S, Tian F, Zou X, Hu J, Qian S. Numerical simulation study on opening blood-brain barrier by ultrasonic cavitation. ULTRASONICS SONOCHEMISTRY 2024; 109:107005. [PMID: 39098097 PMCID: PMC11345312 DOI: 10.1016/j.ultsonch.2024.107005] [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: 05/15/2024] [Revised: 07/16/2024] [Accepted: 07/29/2024] [Indexed: 08/06/2024]
Abstract
Experimental studies have shown that ultrasonic cavitation can reversibly open the blood-brain barrier (BBB) to assist drug delivery. Nevertheless, the majority of the present study focused on experimental aspects of BBB opening. In this study, we developed a three-bubble-liquid-solid model to investigate the dynamic behavior of multiple bubbles within the blood vessels, and elucidate the physical mechanism of drug molecules through endothelial cells under ultrasonic cavitation excitation. The results showed that the large bubbles have a significant inhibitory effect on the movement of small bubbles, and the vibration morphology of intravascular microbubbles was affected by the acoustic parameters, microbubble size, and the distance between the microbubbles. The ultrasonic cavitation can significantly enhance the unidirectional flux of drug molecules, and the unidirectional flux growth rate of the wall can reach more than 5 %. Microjets and shock waves emitted from microbubbles generate different stress distribution patterns on the vascular wall, which in turn affects the pore size of the vessel wall and the permeability of drug molecules. The vibration morphology of microbubbles is related to the concentration, arrangement and scale of microbubbles, and the drug permeation impact can be enhanced by optimizing bubble size and acoustic parameters. The results offer an extensive depiction of the factors influencing the blood-brain barrier opening through ultrasonic cavitation, and the model may provide a potential technique to actively regulate the penetration capacity of drugs through endothelial layer of the neurovascular system by regulating BBB opening.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weirui Lei
- School of Physics and Electronics, Hunan Normal University, Changsha 410081, China
| | - Shuai Chang
- School of Physics and Electronics, Hunan Normal University, Changsha 410081, China
| | - Feng Tian
- School of Physics and Electronics, Hunan Normal University, Changsha 410081, China
| | - Xiao Zou
- School of Physics and Electronics, Hunan Normal University, Changsha 410081, China.
| | - Jiwen Hu
- School of Mathematics and Physics, University of South China, Hengyang 421001, China.
| | - Shengyou Qian
- School of Physics and Electronics, Hunan Normal University, Changsha 410081, China.
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2
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Pan X, Huang W, Nie G, Wang C, Wang H. Ultrasound-Sensitive Intelligent Nanosystems: A Promising Strategy for the Treatment of Neurological Diseases. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2024; 36:e2303180. [PMID: 37871967 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202303180] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2023] [Revised: 09/26/2023] [Indexed: 10/25/2023]
Abstract
Neurological diseases are a major global health challenge, affecting hundreds of millions of people worldwide. Ultrasound therapy plays an irreplaceable role in the treatment of neurological diseases due to its noninvasive, highly focused, and strong tissue penetration capabilities. However, the complexity of brain and nervous system and the safety risks associated with prolonged exposure to ultrasound therapy severely limit the applicability of ultrasound therapy. Ultrasound-sensitive intelligent nanosystems (USINs) are a novel therapeutic strategy for neurological diseases that bring greater spatiotemporal controllability and improve safety to overcome these challenges. This review provides a detailed overview of therapeutic strategies and clinical advances of ultrasound in neurological diseases, focusing on the potential of USINs-based ultrasound in the treatment of neurological diseases. Based on the physical and chemical effects induced by ultrasound, rational design of USINs is a prerequisite for improving the efficacy of ultrasound therapy. Recent developments of ultrasound-sensitive nanocarriers and nanoagents are systemically reviewed. Finally, the challenges and developing prospects of USINs are discussed in depth, with a view to providing useful insights and guidance for efficient ultrasound treatment of neurological diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xueting Pan
- CAS Key Laboratory for Biomedical Effects of Nanomaterials & Nanosafety, CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology, Beijing, 100190, China
| | - Wenping Huang
- CAS Key Laboratory for Biomedical Effects of Nanomaterials & Nanosafety, CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology, Beijing, 100190, China
- School of Nanoscience and Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Guangjun Nie
- CAS Key Laboratory for Biomedical Effects of Nanomaterials & Nanosafety, CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology, Beijing, 100190, China
- School of Nanoscience and Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Changyong Wang
- Beijing Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, 27 Taiping Road, Beijing, 100850, China
| | - Hai Wang
- CAS Key Laboratory for Biomedical Effects of Nanomaterials & Nanosafety, CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology, Beijing, 100190, China
- School of Nanoscience and Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
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3
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Perolina E, Meissner S, Raos B, Harland B, Thakur S, Svirskis D. Translating ultrasound-mediated drug delivery technologies for CNS applications. Adv Drug Deliv Rev 2024; 208:115274. [PMID: 38452815 DOI: 10.1016/j.addr.2024.115274] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2023] [Revised: 02/18/2024] [Accepted: 03/01/2024] [Indexed: 03/09/2024]
Abstract
Ultrasound enhances drug delivery into the central nervous system (CNS) by opening barriers between the blood and CNS and by triggering release of drugs from carriers. A key challenge in translating setups from in vitro to in vivo settings is achieving equivalent acoustic energy delivery. Multiple devices have now been demonstrated to focus ultrasound to the brain, with concepts emerging to also target the spinal cord. Clinical trials to date have used ultrasound to facilitate the opening of the blood-brain barrier. While most have focused on feasibility and safety considerations, therapeutic benefits are beginning to emerge. To advance translation of these technologies for CNS applications, researchers should standardise exposure protocol and fine-tune ultrasound parameters. Computational modelling should be increasingly used as a core component to develop both in vitro and in vivo setups for delivering accurate and reproducible ultrasound to the CNS. This field holds promise for transformative advancements in the management and pharmacological treatment of complex and challenging CNS disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ederlyn Perolina
- School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, 85 Park Road, Auckland 1023, New Zealand
| | - Svenja Meissner
- School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, 85 Park Road, Auckland 1023, New Zealand
| | - Brad Raos
- School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, 85 Park Road, Auckland 1023, New Zealand
| | - Bruce Harland
- School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, 85 Park Road, Auckland 1023, New Zealand
| | - Sachin Thakur
- School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, 85 Park Road, Auckland 1023, New Zealand
| | - Darren Svirskis
- School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, 85 Park Road, Auckland 1023, New Zealand.
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4
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Fan CH, Tsai CY, Lai CY, Liou YF, Lee JK, Yeh CK. Feasibility of in vitro calcification plaque disruption using ultrasound-induced microbubble inertial cavitation. ULTRASONICS 2024; 138:107238. [PMID: 38183758 DOI: 10.1016/j.ultras.2023.107238] [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: 09/03/2023] [Revised: 12/28/2023] [Accepted: 12/28/2023] [Indexed: 01/08/2024]
Abstract
Percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) is a clinical method in which plaque-narrowed arteries are widened by inflating an intravascular balloon catheter. However, PTCA remains challenging to apply in calcified plaques since the high pressure required for achieving a therapeutic outcome can result in balloon rupture, vessel rupture, and intimal dissection. To address the problem with PTCA, we hypothesized that a calcified plaque can be disrupted by microbubbles (MBs) inertial cavitation induced by ultrasound (US). This study proposed a columnar US transducer with a novel design to generate inertial cavitation at the lesion site. Experiments were carried out using tubular calcification phantom to mimic calcified plaques. After different parameters of US + MBs treatment (four types of MBs concentration, five types of cycle number, and three types of insonication duration; n = 4 in each group), inflation experiments were performed to examine the efficacy of cavitation for a clinically used balloon catheter. Finally, micro-CT was used to investigate changes in the internal structure of the tubular plaster phantoms. The inflation threshold of the untreated tubular plaster phantoms was > 11 atm, and this was significantly reduced to 7.4 ± 0.7 atm (p = 5.2E-08) using US-induced MBs inertial cavitation at a treatment duration of 20 min with an acoustic pressure of 214 kPa, an MBs concentration of 4.0 × 108 MBs/mL, a cycle number of 100 cycles, and a pulse repetition frequency of 100 Hz. Moreover, micro-CT revealed internal damage in the tubular calcification phantom, demonstrating that US-induced MBs inertial cavitation can effectively disrupt calcified plaques and reduce the inflation threshold of PTCA. The ex vivo histopathology results showed that the endothelium of pig blood vessels remained intact after the treatment. In summary, the results show that US-induced MBs inertial cavitation can markedly reduce the inflation threshold in PTCA without damaging blood vessel endothelia, indicating the potential of the proposed treatment method.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ching-Hsiang Fan
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 701, Taiwan; Medical Device Innovation Center, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 701, Taiwan
| | - Chieh-Yu Tsai
- Department of Biomedical Engineering and Environmental Sciences, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu 30013, Taiwan
| | - Chun-Yen Lai
- Department of Biomedical Engineering and Environmental Sciences, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu 30013, Taiwan
| | - Ya-Fu Liou
- Department of Biomedical Engineering and Environmental Sciences, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu 30013, Taiwan
| | - Jen-Kuang Lee
- Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei 10617, Taiwan
| | - Chih-Kuang Yeh
- Department of Biomedical Engineering and Environmental Sciences, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu 30013, Taiwan.
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Kung Y, Wu CH, Lin MT, Liao WH, Chen WS, Hsiao MY. Blood-cerebrospinal fluid barrier opening by modified single pulse transcranial focused shockwave. Drug Deliv 2023; 30:97-107. [PMID: 36533878 PMCID: PMC9769131 DOI: 10.1080/10717544.2022.2157068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Transcranial focused shockwave (FSW) is a novel noninvasive brain stimulation that can open blood-brain barriers (BBB) and blood-cerebrospinal fluid barriers (BCSFB) with a single low-energy (energy flux density 0.03 mJ/mm2) pulse and low-dose microbubbles (2 × 106/kg). Similar to focused ultrasound, FSW deliver highly precise stimulation of discrete brain regions with adjustable focal lengths that essentially covers the whole brain. By opening the BCSFB, it allows for rapid widespread drug delivery to the whole brain by cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) circulation. Although no definite adverse effect or permeant injury was noted in our previous study, microscopic hemorrhage was infrequently observed. Safety concerns remain the major obstacle to further application of FSW in brain. To enhance its applicability, a modified single pulse FSW technique was established that present 100% opening rate but much less risk of adverse effect than previous methods. By moving the targeting area 2.5 mm more superficially on the left lateral ventricle as compared with the previous methods, the microscopic hemorrhage rate was reduced to zero. We systemically examine the safety profiles of the modified FSW-BCSFB opening regarding abnormal behavior and brain injury or hemorrhage 72 hr after 0, 1, and 10 pulses of FSW-treatment. Animal behavior, physiological monitor, and brain MRI were examined and recorded. Brain section histology was examined for hemorrhage, apoptosis, inflammation, oxidative stress related immunohistochemistry and biomarkers. The single pulse FSW group demonstrated no mortality or gross/microscopic hemorrhage (N = 30), and no observable changes in all examined outcomes, while 10 pulses of FSW was found to be associated with microscopic and temporary RBC extravasation (N = 6/30), and abnormal immunohistochemistry biomarkers which showed a trend of recovery at 72 hrs. The results suggest that single pulse low-energy FSW-BCSFB opening is effective, safe and poses minimal risk of injury to brain tissue (Sprague Dawley, SD rats).
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi Kung
- Department of Biomechatronic Engineering, National Chiayi University, Chiayi City, Taiwan
| | - Chueh-Hung Wu
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, National Taiwan University Hospital & National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei City, Taiwan
| | - Meng-Ting Lin
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, National Taiwan University Hospital & National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei City, Taiwan
| | - Wei-Hao Liao
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, National Taiwan University Hospital & National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei City, Taiwan
| | - Wen-Shiang Chen
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, National Taiwan University Hospital & National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei City, Taiwan,Institute of Biomedical Engineering and Nanomedicine, National Health Research Institutes, Miaoli, Taiwan
| | - Ming-Yen Hsiao
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, National Taiwan University Hospital & National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei City, Taiwan,CONTACT Ming-Yen Hsiao
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Mondou P, Mériaux S, Nageotte F, Vappou J, Novell A, Larrat B. State of the art on microbubble cavitation monitoring and feedback control for blood-brain-barrier opening using focused ultrasound. Phys Med Biol 2023; 68:18TR03. [PMID: 37369229 DOI: 10.1088/1361-6560/ace23e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2023] [Accepted: 06/27/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023]
Abstract
Focused ultrasound (FUS) is a non-invasive and highly promising method for targeted and reversible blood-brain barrier permeabilization. Numerous preclinical studies aim to optimize the localized delivery of drugs using this method in rodents and non-human primates. Several clinical trials have been initiated to treat various brain diseases in humans using simultaneous BBB permeabilization and drug injection. This review presents the state of the art ofin vitroandin vivocavitation control algorithms for BBB permeabilization using microbubbles (MB) and FUS. Firstly, we describe the different cavitation states, their physical significance in terms of MB behavior and their translation into the spectral composition of the backscattered signal. Next, we report the different indexes calculated and used during the ultrasonic monitoring of cavitation. Finally, the differentin vitroandin vivocavitation control strategies described in the literature are presented and compared.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul Mondou
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, ICube, UMR7357, Strasbourg, France
- Université Paris-Saclay, CEA, CNRS, BAOBAB, NeuroSpin, 91191, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Sébastien Mériaux
- Université Paris-Saclay, CEA, CNRS, BAOBAB, NeuroSpin, 91191, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Florent Nageotte
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, ICube, UMR7357, Strasbourg, France
| | - Jonathan Vappou
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, ICube, UMR7357, Strasbourg, France
| | - Anthony Novell
- Université Paris-Saclay, CEA, CNRS, BAOBAB, NeuroSpin, 91191, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
- Université Paris-Saclay, CEA, CNRS, Inserm, BioMaps, SHFJ, 91401 , Orsay, France
| | - Benoit Larrat
- Université Paris-Saclay, CEA, CNRS, BAOBAB, NeuroSpin, 91191, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
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Rao R, Patel A, Hanchate K, Robinson E, Edwards A, Shah S, Higgins D, Haworth KJ, Lucke-Wold B, Pomeranz Krummel D, Sengupta S. Advances in Focused Ultrasound for the Treatment of Brain Tumors. Tomography 2023; 9:1094-1109. [PMID: 37368542 DOI: 10.3390/tomography9030090] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2023] [Revised: 05/25/2023] [Accepted: 05/26/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Employing the full arsenal of therapeutics to treat brain tumors is limited by the relative impermeability of the blood-brain and blood-tumor barriers. In physiologic states, the blood-brain barrier serves a protective role by passively and actively excluding neurotoxic compounds; however, this functionality limits the penetrance of therapeutics into the tumor microenvironment. Focused ultrasound technology provides a method for overcoming the blood-brain and blood-tumor barriers through ultrasound frequency to transiently permeabilize or disrupt these barriers. Concomitant delivery of therapeutics has allowed for previously impermeable agents to reach the tumor microenvironment. This review details the advances in focused ultrasound in both preclinical models and clinical studies, with a focus on its safety profile. We then turn towards future directions in focused ultrasound-mediated therapies for brain tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rohan Rao
- Department of Neurology and Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH 45219, USA
| | - Anjali Patel
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32608, USA
| | - Kunal Hanchate
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32608, USA
| | - Eric Robinson
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32608, USA
| | - Aniela Edwards
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32608, USA
| | - Sanjit Shah
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH 45267, USA
| | - Dominique Higgins
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Kevin J Haworth
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Cardiovascular Health and Disease, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45267, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45219, USA
| | - Brandon Lucke-Wold
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32608, USA
| | - Daniel Pomeranz Krummel
- Department of Neurology and Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH 45219, USA
| | - Soma Sengupta
- Department of Neurology and Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH 45219, USA
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8
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Kim E, Kim HC, Van Reet J, Böhlke M, Yoo SS, Lee W. Transcranial focused ultrasound-mediated unbinding of phenytoin from plasma proteins for suppression of chronic temporal lobe epilepsy in a rodent model. Sci Rep 2023; 13:4128. [PMID: 36914775 PMCID: PMC10011522 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-31383-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2022] [Accepted: 03/10/2023] [Indexed: 03/16/2023] Open
Abstract
The efficacy of many anti-epileptic drugs, including phenytoin (PHT), is reduced by plasma protein binding (PPB) that sequesters therapeutically active drug molecules within the bloodstream. An increase in systemic dose elevates the risk of drug side effects, which demands an alternative technique to increase the unbound concentration of PHT in a region-specific manner. We present a low-intensity focused ultrasound (FUS) technique that locally enhances the efficacy of PHT by transiently disrupting its binding to albumin. We first identified the acoustic parameters that yielded the highest PHT unbinding from albumin among evaluated parameter sets using equilibrium dialysis. Then, rats with chronic mesial temporal lobe epilepsy (mTLE) received four sessions of PHT injection, each followed by 30 min of FUS delivered to the ictal region, across 2 weeks. Two additional groups of mTLE rats underwent the same procedure, but without receiving PHT or FUS. Assessment of electrographic seizure activities revealed that FUS accompanying administration of PHT effectively reduced the number and mean duration of ictal events compared to other conditions, without damaging brain tissue or the blood-brain barrier. Our results demonstrated that the FUS technique enhanced the anti-epileptic efficacy of PHT in a chronic mTLE rodent model by region-specific PPB disruption.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evgenii Kim
- Department of Radiology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 75 Francis Street, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Hyun-Chul Kim
- Department of Radiology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 75 Francis Street, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
- Department of Artificial Intelligence, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, South Korea
| | - Jared Van Reet
- Department of Radiology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 75 Francis Street, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Mark Böhlke
- Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Seung-Schik Yoo
- Department of Radiology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 75 Francis Street, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Wonhye Lee
- Department of Radiology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 75 Francis Street, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.
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Zhao X, Wright A, Goertz DE. An optical and acoustic investigation of microbubble cavitation in small channels under therapeutic ultrasound conditions. ULTRASONICS SONOCHEMISTRY 2023; 93:106291. [PMID: 36640460 PMCID: PMC9852793 DOI: 10.1016/j.ultsonch.2023.106291] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2022] [Revised: 12/22/2022] [Accepted: 01/04/2023] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Therapeutic focused ultrasound in combination with encapsulated microbubbles is being widely investigated for its ability to elicit bioeffects in the microvasculature, such as transient permeabilization for drug delivery or at higher pressures to achieve 'antivascular' effects. While it is well established that the behaviors of microbubbles are altered when they are situated within sufficiently small vessels, there is a paucity of data examining how the bubble population dynamics and emissions change as a function of channel (vessel) diameter over a size range relevant to therapeutic ultrasound, particularly at pressures relevant to antivascular ultrasound. Here we use acoustic emissions detection and high-speed microscopy (10 kframes/s) to examine the behavior of a polydisperse clinically employed agent (Definity®) in wall-less channels as their diameters are scaled from 1200 to 15 µm. Pressures are varied from 0.1 to 3 MPa using either a 5 ms pulse or a sequence of 0.1 ms pulses spaced at 1 ms, both of which have been previously employed in an in vivo context. With increasing pressure, the 1200 µm channel - on the order of small arteries and veins - exhibited inertial cavitation, 1/2 subharmonics and 3/2 ultraharmonics, consistent with numerous previous reports. The 200 and 100 µm channels - in the size range of larger microvessels less affected by therapeutic focused ultrasound - exhibited a distinctly different behavior, having muted development of 1/2 subharmonics and 3/2 ultraharmonics and reduced persistence. These were associated with radiation forces displacing bubbles to the distal wall and inducing clusters that then rapidly dissipated along with emissions. As the diameter transitioned to 50 and then 15 µm - a size regime that is most relevant to therapeutic focused ultrasound - there was a higher threshold for the onset of inertial cavitation as well as subharmonics and ultraharmonics, which importantly had more complex orders that are not normally reported. Clusters also occurred in these channels (e.g. at 3 MPa, the mean lateral and axial sizes were 23 and 72 µm in the 15 µm channel; 50 and 90 µm in the 50 µm channel), however in this case they occupied the entire lumens and displaced the wall boundaries. Damage to the 15 µm channel was observed for both pulse types, but at a lower pressure for the long pulse. Experiments conducted with a 'nanobubble' (<0.45 µm) subpopulation of Definity followed broadly similar features to 'native' Definity, albeit at a higher pressure threshold for inertial cavitation. These results provide new insights into the behavior of microbubbles in small vessels at higher pressures and have implications for therapeutic focused ultrasound cavitation monitoring and control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoxiao Zhao
- Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, M5G 1L7, Canada; Sunnybrook Research Institute, 2075 Bayview Ave, Toronto M4N 3M5, Canada.
| | - Alex Wright
- Sunnybrook Research Institute, 2075 Bayview Ave, Toronto M4N 3M5, Canada
| | - David E Goertz
- Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, M5G 1L7, Canada; Sunnybrook Research Institute, 2075 Bayview Ave, Toronto M4N 3M5, Canada.
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10
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Cai Y, Fan K, Lin J, Ma L, Li F. Advances in BBB on Chip and Application for Studying Reversible Opening of Blood-Brain Barrier by Sonoporation. MICROMACHINES 2022; 14:112. [PMID: 36677173 PMCID: PMC9861620 DOI: 10.3390/mi14010112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2022] [Revised: 12/20/2022] [Accepted: 12/23/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
The complex structure of the blood-brain barrier (BBB), which blocks nearly all large biomolecules, hinders drug delivery to the brain and drug assessment, thus decelerating drug development. Conventional in vitro models of BBB cannot mimic some crucial features of BBB in vivo including a shear stress environment and the interaction between different types of cells. There is a great demand for a new in vitro platform of BBB that can be used for drug delivery studies. Compared with in vivo models, an in vitro platform has the merits of low cost, shorter test period, and simplicity of operation. Microfluidic technology and microfabrication are good tools in rebuilding the BBB in vitro. During the past decade, great efforts have been made to improve BBB penetration for drug delivery using biochemical or physical stimuli. In particular, compared with other drug delivery strategies, sonoporation is more attractive due to its minimized systemic exposure, high efficiency, controllability, and reversible manner. BBB on chips (BOC) holds great promise when combined with sonoporation. More details and mechanisms such as trans-endothelial electrical resistance (TEER) measurements and dynamic opening of tight junctions can be figured out when using sonoporation stimulating BOC, which will be of great benefit for drug development. Herein, we discuss the recent advances in BOC and sonoporation for BBB disruption with this in vitro platform.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yicong Cai
- Shenzhen Bay Laboratory, Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Shenzhen 518107, China
- School of Physics and Optoelectronic Engineering, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Kexin Fan
- School of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen 518172, China
| | - Jiawei Lin
- Shenzhen Bay Laboratory, Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Shenzhen 518107, China
| | - Lin Ma
- School of Physics and Optoelectronic Engineering, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Fenfang Li
- Shenzhen Bay Laboratory, Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Shenzhen 518107, China
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11
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Alzheimer's Disease: Treatment Strategies and Their Limitations. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms232213954. [PMID: 36430432 PMCID: PMC9697769 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232213954] [Citation(s) in RCA: 102] [Impact Index Per Article: 51.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2022] [Revised: 11/08/2022] [Accepted: 11/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most frequent case of neurodegenerative disease and is becoming a major public health problem all over the world. Many therapeutic strategies have been explored for several decades; however, there is still no curative treatment, and the priority remains prevention. In this review, we present an update on the clinical and physiological phase of the AD spectrum, modifiable and non-modifiable risk factors for AD treatment with a focus on prevention strategies, then research models used in AD, followed by a discussion of treatment limitations. The prevention methods can significantly slow AD evolution and are currently the best strategy possible before the advanced stages of the disease. Indeed, current drug treatments have only symptomatic effects, and disease-modifying treatments are not yet available. Drug delivery to the central nervous system remains a complex process and represents a challenge for developing therapeutic and preventive strategies. Studies are underway to test new techniques to facilitate the bioavailability of molecules to the brain. After a deep study of the literature, we find the use of soft nanoparticles, in particular nanoliposomes and exosomes, as an innovative approach for preventive and therapeutic strategies in reducing the risk of AD and solving problems of brain bioavailability. Studies show the promising role of nanoliposomes and exosomes as smart drug delivery systems able to penetrate the blood-brain barrier and target brain tissues. Finally, the different drug administration techniques for neurological disorders are discussed. One of the promising therapeutic methods is the intranasal administration strategy which should be used for preclinical and clinical studies of neurodegenerative diseases.
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12
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Chien CY, Xu L, Pacia CP, Yue Y, Chen H. Blood-brain barrier opening in a large animal model using closed-loop microbubble cavitation-based feedback control of focused ultrasound sonication. Sci Rep 2022; 12:16147. [PMID: 36167747 PMCID: PMC9515082 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-20568-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2022] [Accepted: 09/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Focused ultrasound (FUS) in combination with microbubbles has been established as a promising technique for noninvasive and localized Blood-brain barrier (BBB) opening. Real-time passive cavitation detection (PCD)-based feedback control of the FUS sonication is critical to ensure effective BBB opening without causing hemorrhage. This study evaluated the performance of a closed-loop feedback controller in a porcine model. Calibration of the baseline cavitation level was performed for each targeted brain location by a FUS sonication in the presence of intravenously injected microbubbles at a low acoustic pressure without inducing BBB opening. The target cavitation level (TCL) was defined for each target based on the baseline cavitation level. FUS treatment was then performed under real-time PCD-based feedback controller to maintain the cavitation level at the TCL. After FUS treatment, contrast-enhanced MRI and ex vivo histological staining were performed to evaluate the BBB permeability and safety. Safe and effective BBB opening was achieved with the BBB opening volume increased from 3.8 ± 0.7 to 53.6 ± 23.3 mm3 as the TCL was increased from 0.25 to 1 dB. This study validated that effective and safe FUS-induced BBB opening in a large animal model can be achieved with closed-loop feedback control of the FUS sonication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chih-Yen Chien
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, Saint Louis, MO, 63130, USA
| | - Lu Xu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, Saint Louis, MO, 63130, USA
| | - Christopher Pham Pacia
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, Saint Louis, MO, 63130, USA
| | - Yimei Yue
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, Saint Louis, MO, 63130, USA
| | - Hong Chen
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, Saint Louis, MO, 63130, USA.
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Washington University School of Medicine, 4511 Forest Park Ave., Saint Louis, MO, 63108, USA.
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13
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Saez-Calveras N, Stuve O. The role of the complement system in Multiple Sclerosis: A review. Front Immunol 2022; 13:970486. [PMID: 36032156 PMCID: PMC9399629 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.970486] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2022] [Accepted: 07/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The complement system has been involved in the pathogenesis of multiple neuroinflammatory and neurodegenerative conditions. In this review, we evaluated the possible role of complement activation in multiple sclerosis (MS) with a focus in progressive MS, where the disease pathogenesis remains to be fully elucidated and treatment options are limited. The evidence for the involvement of the complement system in the white matter plaques and gray matter lesions of MS stems from immunohistochemical analysis of post-mortem MS brains, in vivo serum and cerebrospinal fluid biomarker studies, and animal models of Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis (EAE). Complement knock-out studies in these animal models have revealed that this system may have a “double-edge sword” effect in MS. On the one hand, complement proteins may aid in promoting the clearance of myelin degradation products and other debris through myeloid cell-mediated phagocytosis. On the other, its aberrant activation may lead to demyelination at the rim of progressive MS white matter lesions as well as synapse loss in the gray matter. The complement system may also interact with known risk factors of MS, including as Epstein Barr Virus (EBV) infection, and perpetuate the activation of CNS self-reactive B cell populations. With the mounting evidence for the involvement of complement in MS, the development of complement modulating therapies for this condition is appealing. Herein, we also reviewed the pharmacological complement inhibitors that have been tested in MS animal models as well as in clinical trials for other neurologic diseases. The potential use of these agents, such as the C5-binding antibody eculizumab in MS will require a detailed understanding of the role of the different complement effectors in this disease and the development of better CNS delivery strategies for these compounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nil Saez-Calveras
- Department of Neurology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, United States
| | - Olaf Stuve
- Department of Neurology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, United States
- Neurology Section, Veterans Affairs (VA) North Texas Health Care System, Dallas, TX, United States
- *Correspondence: Olaf Stuve,
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14
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Ogawa K, Kato N, Yoshida M, Hiu T, Matsuo T, Mizukami S, Omata D, Suzuki R, Maruyama K, Mukai H, Kawakami S. Focused ultrasound/microbubbles-assisted BBB opening enhances LNP-mediated mRNA delivery to brain. J Control Release 2022; 348:34-41. [PMID: 35640764 DOI: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2022.05.042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2022] [Revised: 05/07/2022] [Accepted: 05/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Messenger RNA (mRNA) medicine has become a new therapeutic approach owing to the progress in mRNA delivery technology, especially with lipid nanoparticles (LNP). However, mRNA encapsulated-LNP (mRNA-LNP) cannot spontaneously cross the blood-brain barrier (BBB) which prevents the expression of foreign proteins in the brain. Microbubble-assisted focused ultrasound (FUS) BBB opening is an emerging technology that can transiently enhance BBB permeability. In this study, FUS/microbubble-assisted BBB opening was investigated for the intravenous delivery of mRNA-LNP to the brain. The intensity of FUS irradiation was optimized to 1.5 kW/cm2, at which BBB opening occurred efficiently without hemorrhage or edema. Exogenous protein (luciferase) expression by mRNA-LNP, specifically at the FUS-irradiated side of the brain, occurred only when FUS and microbubbles were applied. This exogenous protein expression was faster but shorter than that of plasmid DNA delivery. Furthermore, foreign protein expression was observed in the microglia, along with CD31-positive endothelial cells, whereas no expression was observed in astrocytes or neurons. These results support the addition of mRNA-LNP to the lineup of nanoparticles delivered by BBB opening.
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Affiliation(s)
- Koki Ogawa
- Department of Pharmaceutical Informatics, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki University, 1-7-1 Sakamoto, Nagasaki-shi, Nagasaki, Japan
| | - Naoya Kato
- Department of Pharmaceutical Informatics, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki University, 1-7-1 Sakamoto, Nagasaki-shi, Nagasaki, Japan
| | - Michiharu Yoshida
- Department of Neurosurgery, Nagasaki University, School of Medicine, Nagasaki University, 1-7-1 Sakamoto, Nagasaki-shi, Nagasaki, Japan
| | - Takeshi Hiu
- Department of Neurosurgery, Nagasaki University, School of Medicine, Nagasaki University, 1-7-1 Sakamoto, Nagasaki-shi, Nagasaki, Japan
| | - Takayuki Matsuo
- Department of Neurosurgery, Nagasaki University, School of Medicine, Nagasaki University, 1-7-1 Sakamoto, Nagasaki-shi, Nagasaki, Japan
| | - Shusaku Mizukami
- Department of Immune Regulation, Shionogi Global Infectious Diseases Division, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Nagasaki University, 1-12-4 Sakamoto, Nagasaki-shi, Nagasaki, Japan
| | - Daiki Omata
- Laboratory of Drug and Gene Delivery Research, Faculty of Pharma-Science, Teikyo University, 2-11-1 Kaga Itabashi-ku Tokyo, Japan
| | - Ryo Suzuki
- Laboratory of Drug and Gene Delivery Research, Faculty of Pharma-Science, Teikyo University, 2-11-1 Kaga Itabashi-ku Tokyo, Japan; Advanced Comprehensive Research Organization (ACRO), Teikyo University, 2-11-1 Kaga Itabashi-ku Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kazuo Maruyama
- Laboratory of Theranostics, Faculty of Pharma-Science, Teikyo University, 2-11-1 Kaga Itabashi-ku Tokyo, Japan; Advanced Comprehensive Research Organization (ACRO), Teikyo University, 2-11-1 Kaga Itabashi-ku Tokyo, Japan
| | - Hidefumi Mukai
- Department of Pharmaceutical Informatics, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki University, 1-7-1 Sakamoto, Nagasaki-shi, Nagasaki, Japan; Laboratory for Molecular Delivery and Imaging Technology, RIKEN Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research, 6-7-3 Minatojima-minamimachi, Chuo-ku, Kobe, Hyogo, Japan
| | - Shigeru Kawakami
- Department of Pharmaceutical Informatics, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki University, 1-7-1 Sakamoto, Nagasaki-shi, Nagasaki, Japan.
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15
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Gandhi K, Barzegar-Fallah A, Banstola A, Rizwan SB, Reynolds JNJ. Ultrasound-Mediated Blood-Brain Barrier Disruption for Drug Delivery: A Systematic Review of Protocols, Efficacy, and Safety Outcomes from Preclinical and Clinical Studies. Pharmaceutics 2022; 14:pharmaceutics14040833. [PMID: 35456667 PMCID: PMC9029131 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics14040833] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2022] [Revised: 04/03/2022] [Accepted: 04/06/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Ultrasound-mediated blood-brain barrier (BBB) disruption has garnered focus as a method of delivering normally impenetrable drugs into the brain. Numerous studies have investigated this approach, and a diverse set of ultrasound parameters appear to influence the efficacy and safety of this approach. An understanding of these findings is essential for safe and reproducible BBB disruption, as well as in identifying the limitations and gaps for further advancement of this drug delivery approach. We aimed to collate and summarise protocols and parameters for achieving ultrasound-mediated BBB disruption in animal and clinical studies, as well as the efficacy and safety methods and outcomes associated with each. A systematic search of electronic databases helped in identifying relevant, included studies. Reference lists of included studies were further screened to identify supplemental studies for inclusion. In total, 107 articles were included in this review, and the following parameters were identified as influencing efficacy and safety outcomes: microbubbles, transducer frequency, peak-negative pressure, pulse characteristics, and the dosing of ultrasound applications. Current protocols and parameters achieving ultrasound-mediated BBB disruption, as well as their associated efficacy and safety outcomes, are identified and summarised. Greater standardisation of protocols and parameters in future preclinical and clinical studies is required to inform robust clinical translation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kushan Gandhi
- Department of Anatomy, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Otago, Dunedin 9016, New Zealand; (K.G.); (A.B.-F.); (A.B.)
- Brain Health Research Centre, University of Otago, Dunedin 9016, New Zealand;
| | - Anita Barzegar-Fallah
- Department of Anatomy, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Otago, Dunedin 9016, New Zealand; (K.G.); (A.B.-F.); (A.B.)
- Brain Health Research Centre, University of Otago, Dunedin 9016, New Zealand;
| | - Ashik Banstola
- Department of Anatomy, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Otago, Dunedin 9016, New Zealand; (K.G.); (A.B.-F.); (A.B.)
- Brain Health Research Centre, University of Otago, Dunedin 9016, New Zealand;
| | - Shakila B. Rizwan
- Brain Health Research Centre, University of Otago, Dunedin 9016, New Zealand;
- School of Pharmacy, University of Otago, Dunedin 9016, New Zealand
| | - John N. J. Reynolds
- Department of Anatomy, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Otago, Dunedin 9016, New Zealand; (K.G.); (A.B.-F.); (A.B.)
- Brain Health Research Centre, University of Otago, Dunedin 9016, New Zealand;
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +64-3479-5781; Fax: +64-3479-7254
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16
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Blood-Brain Barrier in Brain Tumors: Biology and Clinical Relevance. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms222312654. [PMID: 34884457 PMCID: PMC8657947 DOI: 10.3390/ijms222312654] [Citation(s) in RCA: 81] [Impact Index Per Article: 27.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2021] [Revised: 11/13/2021] [Accepted: 11/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The presence of barriers, such as the blood–brain barrier (BBB) and brain–tumor barrier (BTB), limits the penetration of antineoplastic drugs into the brain, resulting in poor response to treatments. Many techniques have been developed to overcome the presence of these barriers, including direct injections of substances by intranasal or intrathecal routes, chemical modification of drugs or constituents of BBB, inhibition of efflux pumps, physical disruption of BBB by radiofrequency electromagnetic radiation (EMP), laser-induced thermal therapy (LITT), focused ultrasounds (FUS) combined with microbubbles and convection enhanced delivery (CED). However, most of these strategies have been tested only in preclinical models or in phase 1–2 trials, and none of them have been approved for treatment of brain tumors yet. Concerning the treatment of brain metastases, many molecules have been developed in the last years with a better penetration across BBB (new generation tyrosine kinase inhibitors like osimertinib for non-small-cell lung carcinoma and neratinib/tucatinib for breast cancer), resulting in better progression-free survival and overall survival compared to older molecules. Promising studies concerning neural stem cells, CAR-T (chimeric antigen receptors) strategies and immunotherapy with checkpoint inhibitors are ongoing.
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17
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Alptekin A, Khan MB, Ara R, Rashid MH, Kong F, Parvin M, Frank JA, Chopra R, Dhandapani K, Arbab AS. Pulsed Focal Ultrasound as a Non-Invasive Method to Deliver Exosomes in the Brain/Stroke. J Biomed Nanotechnol 2021; 17:1170-1183. [PMID: 34167630 PMCID: PMC11060887 DOI: 10.1166/jbn.2021.3091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Exosomes, a component of extracellular vesicles, are shown to carry important small RNAs, mRNAs, protein, and bioactive lipid from parent cells and are found in most biological fluids. Investigators have demonstrated the importance of mesenchymal stem cells derived exosomes in repairing stroke lesions. However, exosomes from endothelial progenitor cells have not been tested in any stroke model, nor has there been an evaluation of whether these exosomes target/home to areas of pathology. Targeted delivery of intravenous administered exosomes has been a great challenge, and a targeted delivery system is lacking to deliver naïve (unmodified) exosomes from endothelial progenitor cells to the site of interest. Pulsed focused ultrasound is being used for therapeutic and experimental purposes. There has not been any report showing the use of low-intensity pulsed focused ultrasound to deliver exosomes to the site of interest in stroke models. In this proof of principle study, we have shown different parameters of pulsed focused ultrasound to deliver exosomes in the intact and stroke brain with or without intravenous administration of nanobubbles. The study results showed that administration of nanobubbles is detrimental to the brain structures (micro bleeding and white matter destruction) at peak negative pressure of >0.25 megapascal, despite enhanced delivery of intravenous administered exosomes. However, without nanobubbles, pulsed focused ultrasound enhances the delivery of exosomes in the stroke area without altering the brain structures.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Roxan Ara
- Georgia Cancer Center, Augusta University, Augusta, GA
| | | | | | | | - Joseph A. Frank
- Frank Laboratory, Radiology and Imaging Science, Clinical Center, NIH, Bethesda, MD
- National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering, NIH, Bethesda, MD
| | - Rajiv Chopra
- Department of Radiology and Advanced Imaging Research Center, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX
| | | | - Ali S. Arbab
- Georgia Cancer Center, Augusta University, Augusta, GA
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18
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Pellow C, Cherin E, Abenojar EC, Exner AA, Zheng G, Demore CEM, Goertz DE. High-Frequency Array-Based Nanobubble Nonlinear Imaging in a Phantom and In Vivo. IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON ULTRASONICS, FERROELECTRICS, AND FREQUENCY CONTROL 2021; 68:2059-2074. [PMID: 33513102 PMCID: PMC8296974 DOI: 10.1109/tuffc.2021.3055141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
There has been growing interest in nanobubbles (NBs) for vascular and extravascular ultrasound contrast imaging and therapeutic applications. Studies to date have generally utilized low frequencies (<12 MHz), high concentrations (>109 mL-1), and uncalibrated B-mode or contrast-mode on commercial systems without reporting investigations on NB signatures upon which the imaging protocols should be based. We recently demonstrated that low concentrations (106 mL-1) of porphyrin-lipid-encapsulated NBs scatter nonlinearly at low (2.5, 8 MHz) and high (12.5, 25, 30 MHz) frequencies in a pressure threshold-dependent manner that is advantageous for amplitude modulation (AM) imaging. Here, we implement pressure-calibrated AM at high frequency on a commercial preclinical array system to enhance sensitivity to nonlinear scattering of three phospholipid-based NB formulations. With this approach, improvements in contrast to tissue ratio relative to B-mode between 12.4 and 22.8 dB are demonstrated in a tissue-mimicking phantom, and between 6.7 and 14.8 dB in vivo.
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19
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DeBari MK, Niu X, Scott JV, Griffin MD, Pereira SR, Cook KE, He B, Abbott RD. Therapeutic Ultrasound Triggered Silk Fibroin Scaffold Degradation. Adv Healthc Mater 2021; 10:e2100048. [PMID: 33738976 DOI: 10.1002/adhm.202100048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2021] [Revised: 02/22/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
A patient's capacity for tissue regeneration varies based on age, nutritional status, disease state, lifestyle, and gender. Because regeneration cannot be predicted prior to biomaterial implantation, there is a need for responsive biomaterials with adaptive, personalized degradation profiles to improve regenerative outcomes. This study reports a new approach to use therapeutic ultrasound as a means of altering the degradation profile of silk fibroin biomaterials noninvasively postimplantation. By evaluating changes in weight, porosity, surface morphology, compressive modulus, and chemical structure, it is concluded that therapeutic ultrasound can trigger enhanced degradation of silk fibroin scaffolds noninvasively. By removing microbubbles on the scaffold surface, it is found that acoustic cavitation is the mechanism responsible for changing the degradation profile. This method is proved to be safe for human cells with no negative effects on cell viability or metabolism. Sonication through human skin also effectively triggers scaffold degradation, increasing the clinical relevance of these results. These findings suggest that silk is an ultrasound-responsive biomaterial, where the degradation profile can be adjusted noninvasively to improve regenerative outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Megan K. DeBari
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering Carnegie Mellon University 5000 Forbes Ave Pittsburgh PA 15213 USA
| | - Xiaodan Niu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering Carnegie Mellon University 5000 Forbes Ave Pittsburgh PA 15213 USA
| | - Jacqueline V. Scott
- Department of Biomedical Engineering Carnegie Mellon University 5000 Forbes Ave Pittsburgh PA 15213 USA
| | - Mallory D. Griffin
- Department of Biomedical Engineering Carnegie Mellon University 5000 Forbes Ave Pittsburgh PA 15213 USA
| | - Sean R. Pereira
- Department of Biomedical Engineering Carnegie Mellon University 5000 Forbes Ave Pittsburgh PA 15213 USA
| | - Keith E. Cook
- Department of Biomedical Engineering Carnegie Mellon University 5000 Forbes Ave Pittsburgh PA 15213 USA
| | - Bin He
- Department of Biomedical Engineering Carnegie Mellon University 5000 Forbes Ave Pittsburgh PA 15213 USA
| | - Rosalyn D. Abbott
- Department of Biomedical Engineering Carnegie Mellon University 5000 Forbes Ave Pittsburgh PA 15213 USA
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20
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Ogawa K, Kato N, Kawakami S. Recent Strategies for Targeted Brain Drug Delivery. Chem Pharm Bull (Tokyo) 2021; 68:567-582. [PMID: 32611994 DOI: 10.1248/cpb.c20-00041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Because the brain is the most important human organ, many brain disorders can cause severe symptoms. For example, glioma, one type of brain tumor, is progressive and lethal, while neurodegenerative diseases cause severe disability. Nevertheless, medical treatment for brain diseases remains unsatisfactory, and therefore innovative therapies are desired. However, the development of therapies to treat some cerebral diseases is difficult because the blood-brain barrier (BBB) or blood-brain tumor barrier prevents drugs from entering the brain. Hence, drug delivery system (DDS) strategies are required to deliver therapeutic agents to the brain. Recently, brain-targeted DDS have been developed, which increases the quality of therapy for cerebral disorders. This review gives an overview of recent brain-targeting DDS strategies. First, it describes strategies to cross the BBB. This includes BBB-crossing ligand modification or temporal BBB permeabilization. Strategies to avoid the BBB using local administration are also summarized. Intrabrain drug distribution is a crucial factor that directly determines the therapeutic effect, and thus it is important to evaluate drug distribution using optimal methods. We introduce some methods for evaluating drug distribution in the brain. Finally, applications of brain-targeted DDS for the treatment of brain tumors, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and stroke are explained.
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Affiliation(s)
- Koki Ogawa
- Department of Pharmaceutical Informatics, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki University
| | - Naoya Kato
- Department of Pharmaceutical Informatics, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki University
| | - Shigeru Kawakami
- Department of Pharmaceutical Informatics, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki University
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21
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Blood-Brain Barrier Modulation to Improve Glioma Drug Delivery. Pharmaceutics 2020; 12:pharmaceutics12111085. [PMID: 33198244 PMCID: PMC7697580 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics12111085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2020] [Revised: 11/09/2020] [Accepted: 11/10/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The blood-brain barrier (BBB) is formed by brain microvascular endothelial cells that are sealed by tight junctions, making it a significant obstacle for most brain therapeutics. The poor BBB penetration of newly developed therapeutics has therefore played a major role in limiting their clinical success. A particularly challenging therapeutic target is glioma, which is the most frequently occurring malignant brain tumor. Thus, to enhance therapeutic uptake in tumors, researchers have been developing strategies to modulate BBB permeability. However, most conventional BBB opening strategies are difficult to apply in the clinical setting due to their broad, non-specific modulation of the BBB, which can result in damage to normal brain tissue. In this review, we have summarized strategies that could potentially be used to selectively and efficiently modulate the tumor BBB for more effective glioma treatment.
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22
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Pellow C, Abenojar EC, Exner AA, Zheng G, Goertz DE. Concurrent visual and acoustic tracking of passive and active delivery of nanobubbles to tumors. Am J Cancer Res 2020; 10:11690-11706. [PMID: 33052241 PMCID: PMC7545999 DOI: 10.7150/thno.51316] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2020] [Accepted: 09/10/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: There has been growing interest in nanobubbles for their potential to extend bubble-mediated ultrasound approaches beyond that of their larger microbubble counterparts. In particular, the smaller scale of nanobubbles may enable them to access the tumor extravascular compartment for imaging and therapy in closer proximity to cancer cells. Compelling preliminary demonstrations of the imaging and therapeutic abilities of nanobubbles have thus emerged, with emphasis on their ability to extravasate. However, studies to date rely on indirect histologic evidence that cannot confirm whether the structures remain intact beyond the vasculature - leaving their extravascular potential largely untapped. Methods: Nanobubble acoustic scattering was assessed using a recently reported ultra-stable formulation at low concentration (106 mL-1) and frequency (1 MHz), over a range of pressures (100-1500 kPa) in a channel phantom. The pressure-dependent response was utilized as a basis for in vivo experiments where ultrasound transmitters and receivers were integrated into a window chamber for simultaneous intravital multiphoton microscopy and acoustic monitoring in tumor-affected microcirculation. Microscopy and acoustic data were utilized to assess passive and active delivery of nanobubbles and determine whether they remained intact beyond the vasculature. Results: Nanobubbles exhibit pressure-dependent nonlinear acoustic scattering. Nanobubbles are also found to have prolonged acoustic vascular pharmacokinetics, and passively extravasate intact into tumors. Ultrasound stimulation of nanobubbles is shown to actively enhance the delivery of both intact nanobubbles and shell material, increasing their spatial bioavailability deeper into the extravascular space. A range of acute vascular effects were also observed. Conclusion: This study presents the first direct evidence that nanobubbles passively and actively extravasate intact in tumor tissue, and is the first to directly capture acute vascular events from ultrasound-stimulation of nanobubbles. The insights gained here demonstrate an important step towards unlocking the potential of nanobubbles and extending ultrasound-based applications.
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23
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Wang JB, Di Ianni T, Vyas DB, Huang Z, Park S, Hosseini-Nassab N, Aryal M, Airan RD. Focused Ultrasound for Noninvasive, Focal Pharmacologic Neurointervention. Front Neurosci 2020; 14:675. [PMID: 32760238 PMCID: PMC7372945 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2020.00675] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2019] [Accepted: 06/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
A long-standing goal of translational neuroscience is the ability to noninvasively deliver therapeutic agents to specific brain regions with high spatiotemporal resolution. Focused ultrasound (FUS) is an emerging technology that can noninvasively deliver energy up the order of 1 kW/cm2 with millimeter and millisecond resolution to any point in the human brain with Food and Drug Administration-approved hardware. Although FUS is clinically utilized primarily for focal ablation in conditions such as essential tremor, recent breakthroughs have enabled the use of FUS for drug delivery at lower intensities (i.e., tens of watts per square centimeter) without ablation of the tissue. In this review, we present strategies for image-guided FUS-mediated pharmacologic neurointerventions. First, we discuss blood–brain barrier opening to deliver therapeutic agents of a variety of sizes to the central nervous system. We then describe the use of ultrasound-sensitive nanoparticles to noninvasively deliver small molecules to millimeter-sized structures including superficial cortical regions and deep gray matter regions within the brain without the need for blood–brain barrier opening. We also consider the safety and potential complications of these techniques, with attention to temporal acuity. Finally, we close with a discussion of different methods for mapping the ultrasound field within the brain and describe future avenues of research in ultrasound-targeted drug therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeffrey B Wang
- Neuroradiology Division, Department of Radiology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, United States
| | - Tommaso Di Ianni
- Neuroradiology Division, Department of Radiology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, United States
| | - Daivik B Vyas
- Neuroradiology Division, Department of Radiology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, United States
| | - Zhenbo Huang
- Neuroradiology Division, Department of Radiology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, United States
| | - Sunmee Park
- Neuroradiology Division, Department of Radiology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, United States
| | - Niloufar Hosseini-Nassab
- Neuroradiology Division, Department of Radiology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, United States
| | - Muna Aryal
- Neuroradiology Division, Department of Radiology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, United States
| | - Raag D Airan
- Neuroradiology Division, Department of Radiology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, United States
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24
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TRPV4 promotes acoustic wave-mediated BBB opening via Ca 2+/PKC-δ pathway. J Adv Res 2020; 26:15-28. [PMID: 33133680 PMCID: PMC7584681 DOI: 10.1016/j.jare.2020.06.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2020] [Revised: 05/14/2020] [Accepted: 06/16/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Numerous studies have shown the ability of low-energy acoustic waves such as focused ultrasound or shockwave to transiently open blood-brain barrier (BBB) and facilitate drug delivery to the brain. Preclinical and clinical evidences have well demonstrated the efficacy and safety in treating various brain disorders. However, the molecular mechanisms of acoustic waves on the BBB are still not fully understood. Objectives The present study aimed at exploring the possible molecular mechanisms of acoustic wave stimulation on brains. Methods: Briefly describe the experimental design The left hemisphere of the rat‘s brain was treated with pulsed ultrasound from a commercial focused shockwave or a planar ultrasound device, and the right hemisphere served as a control. One hour after the mechanical wave stimulation or overnight, the rats were sacrificed and the brains were harvested for protein or histological analysis. Agonists and antagonists related to the signal transduction pathways of tight junction proteins were used to investigate the possible intracellular mechanisms. Results Intracellular signal transduction analysis shows calcium influx through transient receptor potential vanilloid 4 (TRPV4) channels, and the activation of PKC-δ pathway to mediate dissociation of ZO-1 and occludin after acoustic wave stimulation. The activation of TRPV4 or PKC-δ signaling further increased the expression level of TRPV4, suggesting a feedback loop to regulate BBB permeability. Moreover, the tight junction proteins dissociation can be reversed by administration of PKC-δ inhibitor and TRPV4 antagonist. Conclusion The present study shows the crucial role of TRPV4 in acoustic wave-mediated BBB permeability, specifically its effect on compromising tight junction proteins, ZO-1 and occludin. Our findings provide a new molecular perspective to explain acoustic wave-mediated BBB opening. Moreover, activation of TRPV4 by agonists may reduce the threshold intensity level of acoustic waves for BBB opening, which may prevent undesirable mechanical damages while maintaining efficient BBB opening.
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Kung Y, Huang HY, Liao WH, Huang APH, Hsiao MY, Wu CH, Liu HL, Inserra C, Chen WS. A Single High-Intensity Shock Wave Pulse With Microbubbles Opens the Blood-Brain Barrier in Rats. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2020; 8:402. [PMID: 32478046 PMCID: PMC7232561 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2020.00402] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2020] [Accepted: 04/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Focused extracorporeal shockwave (FSW), one kind of focused high-intensity pulsed ultrasound, has been shown to induce blood-brain barrier (BBB) opening in targeted brain areas in rat animal models with minimal detrimental effects below threshold intensity levels or iterations. In the current study, we found that the thresholds could be further reduced by the addition of microbubbles (ultrasound contrast agents or UCA; SonoVue). FSW with 2 × 106 MBs/kg of UCA (20% of clinical dosage) at an intensity level of 0.1 (peak positive pressure 5.4 MPa; peak negative pressure -4.2 MPa; energy flux density 0.03 mJ/mm2) resulting in a 100% BBB opening rate without detectable hemorrhage or apoptosis in the brain. Significantly reduced free radical production was found compared with 0.5 MHz focused ultrasound at a peak negative pressure of 0.44 MPa (1% duty cycle and 4 × 107 MBs/kg of UCA). FSW devices offer advantages of commercial availability and high safety, and thus may facilitate future research and applications of focal BBB opening for oncological and pharmacological purposes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi Kung
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, National Taiwan University Hospital, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Hsin-Yu Huang
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, National Taiwan University Hospital, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Wei-Hao Liao
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, National Taiwan University Hospital, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Abel P.-H. Huang
- Department of Surgery, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Ming-Yen Hsiao
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, National Taiwan University Hospital, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Chueh-Hung Wu
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, National Taiwan University Hospital, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Hao-Li Liu
- Department of Electrical Engineering, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Claude Inserra
- INSERM, U1032, LabTAU, Universiteì Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Lyon, France
| | - Wen-Shiang Chen
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, National Taiwan University Hospital, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan
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26
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Low-frequency dual-frequency ultrasound-mediated microbubble cavitation for transdermal minoxidil delivery and hair growth enhancement. Sci Rep 2020; 10:4338. [PMID: 32152413 PMCID: PMC7062896 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-61328-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2019] [Accepted: 02/25/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Ultrasound (US) has been found to rejuvenate and invigorate the hair follicles, increase the size of hair shafts, and promote new hair growth. Our present study found that dual-frequency US-mediated microbubble (MB) cavitation significantly enhanced minoxidil (Mx) delivery in both in vitro and in vivo models, while increasing the hair growth efficacy compared to single-frequency US sonication. The in vitro experiments showed that cavitation activity was enhanced more significantly during dual-frequency sonication than single-frequency sonication in higher concentration of MBs. The pigskin penetration depth in the group in which dual-frequency US was combined with MBs was 1.54 and 2.86 times greater than for single-frequency US combined with MBs and in the control group, respectively; the corresponding increases in the release rate of Mx at 18 hours in in vitro Franz-diffusion-cell experiments were 24.9% and 43.7%. During 21 days of treatment in C57BL/6J mice experiments, the growth rate at day 11 in the group in which dual-frequency US was combined with MBs increased by 2.07 times compared to single-frequency US combined with MBs. These results indicate that dual-frequency US-mediated MB cavitation can significantly increase both skin permeability and transdermal drug delivery. At the same US power density, hair growth was greater in the group with dual-frequency US plus MBs than in the group with single-frequency US plus MBs, without damaging the skin in mice.
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27
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Liao AH, Wang CH, Weng PY, Lin YC, Wang H, Chen HK, Liu HL, Chuang HC, Shih CP. Ultrasound-induced microbubble cavitation via a transcanal or transcranial approach facilitates inner ear drug delivery. JCI Insight 2020; 5:132880. [PMID: 31895697 DOI: 10.1172/jci.insight.132880] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2019] [Accepted: 12/26/2019] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Ultrasound-induced microbubble (USMB) cavitation is widely used to promote drug delivery. Our previous study investigated USMB targeting the round window membrane by applying the ultrasound transducer to the tympanic bulla. In the present study, we further extended the use of this technology to enhance drug delivery to the inner ear by introducing the ultrasound transducer into the external auditory canal (EAC) or applying it to the skull. Using a 3-dimensional-printed diffusion apparatus mimicking the pathway for ultrasound passing through and reaching the middle ear cavity in vitro, the models simulating the transcanal and transcranial approach demonstrated 4.8-fold- and 3.7-fold-higher delivery efficiencies, respectively. In an in vivo model of guinea pigs, by filling tympanic bulla with microbubbles and biotin-FITC, USMB applied transcanally and transcranially induced 2.8-fold and 1.5-fold increases in biotin-FITC delivery efficiencies, respectively. In addition, the gentamicin uptake by cochlear and vestibular hair cells and gentamicin-induced hair cell loss were significantly enhanced following transcanal application of USMB. On the 28th day after transcanal USMB, safety assessment showed no significant changes in the hearing thresholds and the integrity of cochlea. These are the first results to our knowledge to demonstrate the feasibility and support the potential clinical application of applying USMB via EAC to facilitate drug delivery into the inner ear.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ai-Ho Liao
- Graduate Institute of Biomedical Engineering, National Taiwan University of Science and Technology, Taipei, Taiwan.,Department of Biomedical Engineering and
| | - Chih-Hung Wang
- Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan.,Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Tri-Service General Hospital, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan.,Taichung Armed Forces General Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Ping-Yu Weng
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, National Taipei University of Technology, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Yi-Chun Lin
- Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Hao Wang
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Tri-Service General Hospital, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Hang-Kang Chen
- Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Hao-Li Liu
- Department of Electrical Engineering, Chang Gung University, Tao-Yuan, Taiwan
| | - Ho-Chiao Chuang
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, National Taipei University of Technology, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Cheng-Ping Shih
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Tri-Service General Hospital, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan
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28
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Cheng B, Bing C, Chopra R. The effect of transcranial focused ultrasound target location on the acoustic feedback control performance during blood-brain barrier opening with nanobubbles. Sci Rep 2019; 9:20020. [PMID: 31882579 PMCID: PMC6934715 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-55629-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2019] [Accepted: 10/30/2019] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Real-time acoustic feedback control based on harmonic emissions of stimulated microbubbles may be important for facilitating the clinical adoption of focused ultrasound (FUS)-induced blood-brain barrier (BBB) opening, both to ensure safe acoustic exposures, and to achieve repeatable and consistent opening. Previously our group demonstrated that successful BBB opening was achievable with both commercially available microbubbles and custom-made nanobubbles under acoustic feedback control. In a recent study, we demonstrated the acoustic control performance was not sensitive to the nanobubble concentration within 109–1011 bubbles/ml. The goal of this study was to examine the effect of the ultrasound target location in the rat brain on the acoustic control quality during BBB opening with nanobubbles. Temporal analysis of the received acoustic signals during each ultrasound pulse indicated that stable nanobubble oscillation was present throughout the entire 10 ms ultrasound exposure. The acoustic feedback control signals were very sensitive to the brain spatial location in rats. There appears to be a shared pattern of acoustic control stability in the brain across different animals, suggesting anatomical features are an underlying cause. The findings emphasize the importance of tuning acoustic feedback control algorithms for specific rodent brain regions of interest to ensure optimal performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bingbing Cheng
- Department of Radiology, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA.,Department of Radiology, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Chenchen Bing
- Department of Radiology, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA.,Department of Radiology, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Rajiv Chopra
- Department of Radiology, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA. .,Advanced Imaging Research Center, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA.
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29
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Jung B, Huh H, Lee EH, Han M, Park J. An advanced focused ultrasound protocol improves the blood-brain barrier permeability and doxorubicin delivery into the rat brain. J Control Release 2019; 315:55-64. [PMID: 31669208 DOI: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2019.10.044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2019] [Revised: 10/17/2019] [Accepted: 10/22/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Despite the recent development of a focused ultrasound (FUS) technique for disrupting the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and enabling the delivery of drugs into the targeted brain region, different sonication protocols have not been fully explored. In this study, we suggest a simple and cost-effective protocol that improves the BBB permeability and drug delivery without damaging the tissue. In this protocol, called "FUS+BBBD protocol", an additional FUS stimulation without microbubbles ("FUS protocol"; 0.5, 1.0, or 2.0MPa acoustic pressure, 10ms tone burst, 1Hz pulse repetition frequency, 120s total duration) is applied prior to the conventional BBB disruption with microbubbles ("BBBD protocol"; 0.6∼0.72MPa acoustic pressure, 10ms tone burst, 1Hz pulse repetition frequency, 120s total duration). With the "FUS+BBBD protocol", the magnetic resonance signal intensity and doxorubicin delivery at the targeted brain region were increased by 1.59 and 1.75 times at an FUS intensity of 1.0MPa, respectively, compared to the conventional BBBD. Other conditions also increase the drug delivery, but the increase was smaller than that at 1.0MPa (1.15 times for 0.5MPa and 1.60 times for 2.0MPa). The H&E histopathological analysis of the sonicated brain region using the proposed "FUS+BBBD protocol" showed no significant brain tissue damage at a FUS intensity of 0.5 and 1.0MPa. However, region cavities due to the damage were observed after an FUS intensity of 2.0MPa. These results suggest that the 1.0MPa "FUS+BBBD protocol" increases the BBB permeability and enhances the drug delivery efficiency without noticeable brain tissue damage, compared with the conventional BBBD. Although further studies are needed to determine the underlying mechanism of this effect, drugs that have been reported to be effective in the treatment of brain disease but had limited use due to severe systemic side effects will benefit from the enhanced drug delivery of "FUS+BBBD protocol". Furthermore, the suggested protocol may facilitate the development of new strategies in clinical trials to treat brain disorders with improved drug delivery and safety.
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Affiliation(s)
- Byeongjin Jung
- Medical Device Development Center, Daegu-Gyeongbuk Medical Innovation Foundation, 80 Cheombok-ro, Dong-gu, Daegu, 41061, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyungkyu Huh
- Medical Device Development Center, Daegu-Gyeongbuk Medical Innovation Foundation, 80 Cheombok-ro, Dong-gu, Daegu, 41061, Republic of Korea
| | - Eun-Hee Lee
- Medical Device Development Center, Daegu-Gyeongbuk Medical Innovation Foundation, 80 Cheombok-ro, Dong-gu, Daegu, 41061, Republic of Korea
| | - Mun Han
- Medical Device Development Center, Daegu-Gyeongbuk Medical Innovation Foundation, 80 Cheombok-ro, Dong-gu, Daegu, 41061, Republic of Korea
| | - Juyoung Park
- Medical Device Development Center, Daegu-Gyeongbuk Medical Innovation Foundation, 80 Cheombok-ro, Dong-gu, Daegu, 41061, Republic of Korea.
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30
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Cheng B, Bing C, Xi Y, Shah B, Exner AA, Chopra R. Influence of Nanobubble Concentration on Blood-Brain Barrier Opening Using Focused Ultrasound Under Real-Time Acoustic Feedback Control. ULTRASOUND IN MEDICINE & BIOLOGY 2019; 45:2174-2187. [PMID: 31072657 DOI: 10.1016/j.ultrasmedbio.2019.03.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2018] [Revised: 03/18/2019] [Accepted: 03/24/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Real-time acoustic feedback control based on harmonic emissions of stimulated microbubbles may serve as a way to achieve reliable blood-brain barrier (BBB) opening with focused ultrasound in the brain. Previously, we demonstrated BBB opening was possible using sub-micron bubbles (aka nanobubbles) and produced comparable results to commercially available microbubbles (Optison, Definity, etc.). The harmonic emissions and acoustic control were observed to be more consistent using nanobubbles, which warrants further study of BBB opening using these agents. This study examined the stimulated acoustic emissions of nanobubbles at different concentrations both in vitro and in vivo and evaluated BBB opening under real-time acoustic feedback control across concentrations. Original nanobubbles (1011 bubbles/mL) have long in vitro persistence (7.3 ± 3.3 min) and circulation time in rats (approximately 10 min) under exposures in this study, and both degraded with dilutions. With all three tested dilutions (1:1, 1:10 and 1:100), successful BBB opening was reliably achieved under real-time feedback control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bingbing Cheng
- Department of Radiology, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA.
| | - Chenchen Bing
- Department of Radiology, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Yin Xi
- Department of Radiology, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA; Department of Clinical Science, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Bhavya Shah
- Department of Radiology, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA; Advanced Imaging Research Center, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Agata A Exner
- Department of Radiology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Rajiv Chopra
- Department of Radiology, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA; Advanced Imaging Research Center, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
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31
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Fan CH, Wang TW, Hsieh YK, Wang CF, Gao Z, Kim A, Nagasaki Y, Yeh CK. Enhancing Boron Uptake in Brain Glioma by a Boron-Polymer/Microbubble Complex with Focused Ultrasound. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2019; 11:11144-11156. [PMID: 30883079 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.8b22468] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) is a promising radiotherapy for treating glioblastoma multiforme (GBM). However, the penetration of drugs (e.g., sodium borocaptate and BSH) for BNCT into brain tumors is limited by cerebral vesicular protective structures, the blood-brain barrier, and the blood-brain tumor barrier (BTB). Although BSH has been reported to be selectively taken up by tumors, it is rapidly excreted from the body and cannot achieve a high tumor-to-normal brain ratio (T/N ratio) and tumor-to-blood ratio (T/B ratio). Despite the development of large-molecular weight boron compounds, such as polymers and nanoparticles, to enhance the permeation and retention effect, their effects remain insufficient for clinical use. To improve the efficiency of boron delivery to the tumor site, we propose combinations of self-assembled boron-containing polyanion [polyethylene glycol- b-poly(( closo-dodecaboranyl)thiomethylstyrene) (PEG- b-PMBSH)] nanoparticles (295 ± 2.3 nm in aqueous media) coupled with cationic microbubble (B-MB)-assisted focused ultrasound (FUS) treatment. Upon FUS sonication (frequency = 1 MHz, pressure = 0.3-0.7 MPa, duty cycle = 0.5%, sonication = 1 min), B-MBs can simultaneously achieve safe BTB opening and boron drug delivery into tumor tissue. Compared with the MBs of the PEG- b-PMBSH mixture group (B + MBs), B-MBs showed 3- and 2.3-fold improvements in the T/N (4.4 ± 1.4 vs 1.3 ± 0.1) and T/B ratios (1.4 ± 0.6 vs 0.1 ± 0.1), respectively, after 4 min of FUS sonication. The spatial distribution of PEG- b-PMBSH was also improved by the complex of PEG- b-PMBSH with MBs. The findings presented herein, in combination with the expanding clinical application of FUS, may improve BNCT and treatment of GBM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ching-Hsiang Fan
- Department of Biomedical Engineering and Environmental Sciences , National Tsing Hua University , No. 101, Section 2, Kuang-Fu Road , Hsinchu 30013 , Taiwan
| | - Ta-Wei Wang
- Institute of Nuclear Engineering and Science , National Tsing Hua University , No. 101, Section 2, Kuang-Fu Road , Hsinchu 30013 , Taiwan
| | - Yi-Kong Hsieh
- Department of Biomedical Engineering and Environmental Sciences , National Tsing Hua University , No. 101, Section 2, Kuang-Fu Road , Hsinchu 30013 , Taiwan
| | - Chu-Fang Wang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering and Environmental Sciences , National Tsing Hua University , No. 101, Section 2, Kuang-Fu Road , Hsinchu 30013 , Taiwan
| | | | | | | | - Chih-Kuang Yeh
- Department of Biomedical Engineering and Environmental Sciences , National Tsing Hua University , No. 101, Section 2, Kuang-Fu Road , Hsinchu 30013 , Taiwan
- Institute of Nuclear Engineering and Science , National Tsing Hua University , No. 101, Section 2, Kuang-Fu Road , Hsinchu 30013 , Taiwan
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32
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Unga J, Omata D, Kudo N, Ueno S, Munakata L, Shima T, Suzuki R, Maruyama K. Development and evaluation of stability and ultrasound response of DSPC-DPSG-based freeze-dried microbubbles. J Liposome Res 2019; 29:368-374. [DOI: 10.1080/08982104.2018.1556294] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Johan Unga
- Faculty of Pharma-Science, Laboratory of Drug and Gene Delivery Research, Teikyo University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Daiki Omata
- Faculty of Pharma-Science, Laboratory of Drug and Gene Delivery Research, Teikyo University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Nobuki Kudo
- Faculty of Engineering, Graduate School of Information Science and Technology, Laboratory of Biomedical Engineering, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Soki Ueno
- Faculty of Engineering, Graduate School of Information Science and Technology, Laboratory of Biomedical Engineering, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Lisa Munakata
- Faculty of Pharma-Science, Laboratory of Drug and Gene Delivery Research, Teikyo University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Tadamitsu Shima
- Faculty of Pharma-Science, Laboratory of Drug and Gene Delivery Research, Teikyo University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Ryo Suzuki
- Faculty of Pharma-Science, Laboratory of Drug and Gene Delivery Research, Teikyo University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kazuo Maruyama
- Faculty of Pharma-Science, Laboratory of Drug and Gene Delivery Research, Teikyo University, Tokyo, Japan
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33
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Tsai HC, Tsai CH, Chen WS, Inserra C, Wei KC, Liu HL. Safety evaluation of frequent application of microbubble-enhanced focused ultrasound blood-brain-barrier opening. Sci Rep 2018; 8:17720. [PMID: 30531863 PMCID: PMC6286368 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-35677-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2018] [Accepted: 11/07/2018] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Focused ultrasound (FUS) with the presence of microbubbles induces blood brain barrier (BBB) opening in targeted areas and facilitates drug delivery. However, recent studies have indicated that FUS-BBB opening with excessive exposure levels may be associated with inflammatory response and cellular/tissue damage. Multiple weekly FUS exposures have been shown to be safe for human subjects. However the effect of more frequent FUS exposures is still unknown. This study examines whether frequent focused ultrasound blood brain barrier opening is associated with aggravated behavioral, histopathologic change or brain tissue damage. Two protocols of focused ultrasound blood brain barrier opening were devised using different microbubble doses (0.15 µl/kg and 0.4 µl/kg). Focused ultrasound exposure at a threshold level of BBB-opening, below-threshold level, or above level for intracerebral hemorrhage were delivered every 2 days. Animal behavioral and physiological changes were examined and recorded. Brain tissue was examined for hemorrhage and apoptosis. Results indicate that frequent exposure of excessive focused ultrasound (1.4 mechanical index) produced minor and short-term behavioral changes despite significant tissue damage, while frequent BBB opening with threshold or below-threshold FUS exposure (0.33-0.8 mechanical index) did not cause behavioral or histological change. Immunofluorescent examination of rat brain tissue indicated that excessive doses of microbubble administration induce an apparent cellular apoptotic response, which may be exacerbated by intracerebral hemorrhage. Experimental results suggest that frequent focused ultrasound blood brain barrier opening with sufficient ultrasound exposure level and a microbubble dose can be safe and pose minimal risk to brain tissue.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hong-Chieh Tsai
- Department of Neurosurgery, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Linkou, Taoyuan, 333, Taiwan.,Graduate Institute of Clinical Medical Sciences and School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, 333, Taiwan
| | - Chih-Hung Tsai
- Department of Electrical Engineering, Chang-Gung University, Taoyuan, 333, Taiwan
| | - Wen-Shiang Chen
- Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, 100, Taiwan
| | - Claude Inserra
- LabTAU, INSERM, Centre Léon Bérard, Université Lyon 1, Univ Lyon, Lyon, F-69003, France
| | - Kuo-Chen Wei
- Department of Neurosurgery, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Linkou, Taoyuan, 333, Taiwan.
| | - Hao-Li Liu
- Department of Neurosurgery, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Linkou, Taoyuan, 333, Taiwan. .,Department of Electrical Engineering, Chang-Gung University, Taoyuan, 333, Taiwan.
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34
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Effects of Nonlinear Propagation of Focused Ultrasound on the Stable Cavitation of a Single Bubble. ACOUSTICS 2018. [DOI: 10.3390/acoustics1010003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Many biomedical applications such as ultrasonic targeted drug delivery, gene therapy, and molecular imaging entail the problems of manipulating microbubbles by means of a high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) pressure field; namely stable cavitation. In high-intensity acoustic field, bubbles demonstrate translational instability, the well-known erratic dancing motion, which is caused by shape oscillations of the bubbles that are excited by their volume oscillations. The literature of bubble dynamics in the HIFU field is mainly centered on experiments, lacking a systematic study to determine the threshold for shape oscillations and translational motion. In this work, we extend the existing multiphysics mathematical modeling platform on bubble dynamics for taking account of (1) the liquid compressibility which allows us to apply a high-intensity acoustic field; (2) the mutual interactions of volume pulsation, shape modes, and translational motion; as well as (3) the effects of nonlinearity, diffraction, and absorption of HIFU to incorporate the acoustic nonlinearity due to wave kinematics or medium—all in one model. The effects of acoustic nonlinearity on the radial pulsations, axisymmetric modes of shape oscillations, and translational motion of a bubble, subjected to resonance and off-resonance excitation and various acoustic pressure, are examined. The results reveal the importance of considering all the involved harmonics and wave distortion in the bubble dynamics, to accurately predict the oscillations, translational trajectories, and the threshold for inertial (unstable) cavitation. This result is of interest for understanding the bubble dynamical behaviors observed experimentally in the HIFU field.
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35
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Blackmore DG, Turpin F, Mohamed AZ, Zong F, Pandit R, Pelekanos M, Nasrallah F, Sah P, Bartlett PF, Götz J. Multimodal analysis of aged wild-type mice exposed to repeated scanning ultrasound treatments demonstrates long-term safety. Am J Cancer Res 2018; 8:6233-6247. [PMID: 30613294 PMCID: PMC6299703 DOI: 10.7150/thno.27941] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2018] [Accepted: 10/30/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The blood-brain barrier presents a major challenge for the delivery of therapeutic agents to the brain; however, it can be transiently opened by combining low intensity ultrasound with microbubble infusion. Studies evaluating this technology have largely been performed in rodents, including models of neurological conditions. However, despite promising outcomes in terms of drug delivery and the amelioration of neurological impairments, the potential for long-term adverse effects presents a major concern in the context of clinical applications. Methods: To fill this gap, we repeatedly treated 12-month-old wild-type mice with ultrasound, followed by a multimodal analysis for up to 18 months of age. Results: We found that spatial memory in these aged mice was not adversely affected as assessed in the active place avoidance test. Sholl analysis of Golgi impregnations in the dentate gyrus of the hippocampus did not reveal any changes to the neuronal cytoarchitecture. Long-term potentiation, a cellular correlate of memory, was still achievable, magnetic resonance spectroscopy revealed no major changes in metabolites, and diffusion tensor imaging revealed normal microstructure and tissue integrity in the hippocampus. More specifically, all measures of diffusion appeared to support a neuroprotective effect of ultrasound treatment on the brain. Conclusion: This multimodal analysis indicates that therapeutic ultrasound for blood-brain barrier opening is safe and potentially protective in the long-term, underscoring its validity as a potential treatment modality for diseases of the brain.
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36
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Song KH, Harvey BK, Borden MA. State-of-the-art of microbubble-assisted blood-brain barrier disruption. Theranostics 2018; 8:4393-4408. [PMID: 30214628 PMCID: PMC6134932 DOI: 10.7150/thno.26869] [Citation(s) in RCA: 112] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2018] [Accepted: 07/06/2018] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Focused ultrasound with microbubbles promises unprecedented advantages for blood-brain barrier disruption over existing intracranial drug delivery methods, as well as a significant number of tunable parameters that affect its safety and efficacy. This review provides an engineering perspective on the state-of-the-art of the technology, considering the mechanism of action, effects of microbubble properties, ultrasound parameters and physiological variables, as well as safety and potential therapeutic applications. Emphasis is placed on the use of unified parameters, such as microbubble volume dose (MVD) and ultrasound mechanical index, to optimize the procedure and establish safety limits. It is concluded that, while efficacy has been demonstrated in several animal models with a wide range of payloads, acceptable measures of safety should be adopted to accelerate collaboration and improve understanding and clinical relevance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kang-Ho Song
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80309
| | - Brandon K. Harvey
- Intramural Research Program, National Institute on Drug Abuse, Baltimore, MD 21224
| | - Mark A. Borden
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80309
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37
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Gao X, Yue Q, Liu Y, Fan D, Fan K, Li S, Qian J, Han L, Fang F, Xu F, Geng D, Chen L, Zhou X, Mao Y, Li C. Image-guided chemotherapy with specifically tuned blood brain barrier permeability in glioma margins. Theranostics 2018; 8:3126-3137. [PMID: 29896307 PMCID: PMC5996359 DOI: 10.7150/thno.24784] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2018] [Accepted: 03/05/2018] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Blood-brain barrier (BBB) disruption is frequently observed in the glioma region. However, the tumor uptake of drugs is still too low to meet the threshold of therapeutic purpose. Method: A tumor vasculature-targeted nanoagonist was developed. Glioma targeting specificity of the nanoagonist was evaluated by in vivo optical imaging. BBB permeability at the glioma margin was quantitatively measured by dynamic contrast enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCE-MRI). Single-photon emission computed tomography imaging/computed tomography (SPECT/CT) quantitatively determined the glioma uptake of the radiolabeled model drug. T2-weighted MRI monitored the tumor volume. Results: Immunostaining studies demonstrated that the BBB remained partially intact in the invasive margin of patients' gliomas regardless of their malignancies. DCE-MRI showed that vascular permeability in the glioma margin reached its maximum at 45 min post nanoagonist administration. In vivo optical imaging indicated the high glioma targeting specificity of the nanoagonist. SPECT/CT showed the significantly enhanced glioma uptake of the model drug after pre-treatment with the nanoagonist. Image-guided paclitaxel injection after nanoagonist-mediated BBB modulation more efficiently attenuated tumor growth and extended survival than in animal models treated with paclitaxel or temozolomide alone. Conclusion: Thus, image-guided drug delivery following BBB permeability modulation holds promise to enhance the efficacy of chemotherapeutics to glioma.
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Pelekanos M, Leinenga G, Odabaee M, Odabaee M, Saifzadeh S, Steck R, Götz J. Establishing sheep as an experimental species to validate ultrasound-mediated blood-brain barrier opening for potential therapeutic interventions. Am J Cancer Res 2018; 8:2583-2602. [PMID: 29721100 PMCID: PMC5928910 DOI: 10.7150/thno.22852] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2017] [Accepted: 03/02/2018] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Rationale: Treating diseases of the brain such as Alzheimer's disease (AD) is challenging as the blood-brain barrier (BBB) effectively restricts access of a large number of potentially useful drugs. A potential solution to this problem is presented by therapeutic ultrasound, a novel treatment modality that can achieve transient BBB opening in species including rodents, facilitated by biologically inert microbubbles that are routinely used in a clinical setting for contrast enhancement. However, in translating rodent studies to the human brain, the presence of a thick cancellous skull that both absorbs and distorts ultrasound presents a challenge. A larger animal model that is more similar to humans is therefore required in order to establish a suitable protocol and to test devices. Here we investigated whether sheep provide such a model. Methods: In a stepwise manner, we used a total of 12 sheep to establish a sonication protocol using a spherically focused transducer. This was assisted by ex vivo simulations based on CT scans to establish suitable sonication parameters. BBB opening was assessed by Evans blue staining and a range of histological tests. Results: Here we demonstrate noninvasive microbubble-mediated BBB opening through the intact sheep skull. Our non-recovery protocol allowed for BBB opening at the base of the brain, and in areas relevant for AD, including the cortex and hippocampus. Linear time-shift invariant analysis and finite element analysis simulations were used to optimize the position of the transducer and to predict the acoustic pressure and location of the focus. Conclusion: Our study establishes sheep as a novel animal model for ultrasound-mediated BBB opening and highlights opportunities and challenges in using this model. Moreover, as sheep develop an AD-like pathology with aging, they represent a large animal model that could potentially complement the use of non-human primates.
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39
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Targeted shRNA-loaded liposome complex combined with focused ultrasound for blood brain barrier disruption and suppressing glioma growth. Cancer Lett 2018; 418:147-158. [DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2018.01.035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2017] [Revised: 12/23/2017] [Accepted: 01/09/2018] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
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40
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Cornu C, Guédra M, Béra JC, Liu HL, Chen WS, Inserra C. Ultrafast monitoring and control of subharmonic emissions of an unseeded bubble cloud during pulsed sonication. ULTRASONICS SONOCHEMISTRY 2018; 42:697-703. [PMID: 29429720 DOI: 10.1016/j.ultsonch.2017.12.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2017] [Revised: 12/08/2017] [Accepted: 12/15/2017] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
In the aim of limiting the destructive effects of collapsing bubbles, the regime of stable cavitation activity is currently targeted for sensitive therapeutic applications such as blood-brain barrier opening by ultrasound. This activity is quantified through the emergence of the subharmonic component of the fundamental frequency. Due to the intrinsically stochastic behavior of the cavitation phenomenon, a better control of the different (stable or inertial) cavitation regimes is a key requirement in the understanding of the mechanisms involving each bubble-induced mechanical effect. Current strategies applied to stable cavitation control rely on the use of either seeded microbubbles or a long-lasting pulse to reinitiate subharmonic emission. The present work aims at developing an ultrafast (inferior to 250 μs) monitoring and control of subharmonic emissions during long-pulsed (50 ms) sonication. The use of a FPGA-based feedback loop provides reproducible level of subharmonic emissions combined with temporal stability during the sonication duration. In addition, stable cavitation events are differentiated from the broadband noise characterizing inertial cavitation activity, with perspectives in the discrimination of the involved mechanisms underlying bubble-mediated therapeutic applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Corentin Cornu
- Univ Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Centre Léon Bérard, INSERM, UMR 1032, LabTAU, F-69003 Lyon, France.
| | - Matthieu Guédra
- Univ Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Centre Léon Bérard, INSERM, UMR 1032, LabTAU, F-69003 Lyon, France
| | - Jean-Christophe Béra
- Univ Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Centre Léon Bérard, INSERM, UMR 1032, LabTAU, F-69003 Lyon, France
| | - Hao-Li Liu
- Department of Electrical Engineering, Chang-Gung University, Taoyuan 333, Taiwan
| | - Wen-Shiang Chen
- Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei 100, Taiwan
| | - Claude Inserra
- Univ Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Centre Léon Bérard, INSERM, UMR 1032, LabTAU, F-69003 Lyon, France
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41
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Miura Y, Fuchigami Y, Hagimori M, Sato H, Ogawa K, Munakata C, Wada M, Maruyama K, Kawakami S. Evaluation of the targeted delivery of 5-fluorouracil and ascorbic acid into the brain with ultrasound-responsive nanobubbles. J Drug Target 2017; 26:684-691. [DOI: 10.1080/1061186x.2017.1419354] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Yusuke Miura
- Department of Pharmaceutical Informatics, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan
| | - Yuki Fuchigami
- Department of Pharmaceutical Informatics, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan
| | - Masayori Hagimori
- Department of Pharmaceutical Informatics, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan
| | - Hiroki Sato
- Department of Pharmaceutical Informatics, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan
| | - Koki Ogawa
- Department of Pharmaceutical Informatics, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan
| | - Chie Munakata
- Department of Pharmaceutical Informatics, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan
| | - Mitsuhiro Wada
- Department of Pharmaceutical Informatics, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan
| | - Kazuo Maruyama
- Laboratory of Drug Delivery System, Faculty of Pharma-Sciences, Teikyo University, Itabashi-ku, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Shigeru Kawakami
- Department of Pharmaceutical Informatics, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan
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42
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Wu SK, Chu PC, Chai WY, Kang ST, Tsai CH, Fan CH, Yeh CK, Liu HL. Characterization of Different Microbubbles in Assisting Focused Ultrasound-Induced Blood-Brain Barrier Opening. Sci Rep 2017; 7:46689. [PMID: 28425493 PMCID: PMC5397978 DOI: 10.1038/srep46689] [Citation(s) in RCA: 86] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2016] [Accepted: 03/24/2017] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Microbubbles (MBs) serve as a critical catalyst to amplify local cavitation in CNS capillary lumen to facilitate focused ultrasound (FUS) to transiently open the blood-brain barrier (BBB). However, limited understanding is available regarding the effect of different microbubbles to induce BBB opening. The aim of this study is to characterize different MBs on their effect in FUS-induced BBB opening. Three MBs, SonoVue, Definity, and USphere, were tested, with 0.4-MHz FUS exposure at 0.62–1.38 of mechanical index (MI) on rats. Evans blue, dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE) MRI and small-animal ultrasound imaging were used as surrogates to allow molecule-penetrated quantification, BBB-opened observation, and MBs circulation/persistence. Cavitation activity was measured via the passive cavitation detection (PCD) setup to correlate with the exposure level and the histological effect. Under given and identical MB concentrations, the three MBs induced similar and equivalent BBB-opening effects and persistence. In addition, a treatment paradigm by adapting exposure time is proposed to compensate MB decay to retain the persistence of BBB-opening efficiency in multiple FUS exposures. The results potentially improve understanding of the equivalence among MBs in focused ultrasound CNS drug delivery, and provide an effective strategy for securing persistence in this treatment modality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sheng-Kai Wu
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering, College of Medicine and College of Engineering, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Po-Chun Chu
- Department of Research and Development, NaviFUS corp., Taipei, Taiwan.,Department of Electrical Engineering, Chang-Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Wen-Yen Chai
- Department of Electrical Engineering, Chang-Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan.,Department of Diagnostic Radiology and Intervention, Chang-Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Shih-Tsung Kang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering and Environmental Sciences, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, Taiwan
| | - Chih-Hung Tsai
- Department of Electrical Engineering, Chang-Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Ching-Hsiang Fan
- Department of Biomedical Engineering and Environmental Sciences, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, Taiwan
| | - Chih-Kuang Yeh
- Department of Biomedical Engineering and Environmental Sciences, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, Taiwan
| | - Hao-Li Liu
- Department of Electrical Engineering, Chang-Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan.,Department of Neurosurgery, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan, Taiwan.,Medical Imaging Research Center, Institute for Radiological Research, Chang Gung University and Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan, Taiwan
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43
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Gao X, Wang YC, Liu Y, Yue Q, Liu Z, Ke M, Zhao S, Li C. Nanoagonist-mediated endothelial tight junction opening: A strategy for safely increasing brain drug delivery in mice. J Cereb Blood Flow Metab 2017; 37:1410-1424. [PMID: 27342320 PMCID: PMC5453461 DOI: 10.1177/0271678x16656198] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Even though opening endothelial tight junctions is an efficient way to up-regulate brain drug delivery, the extravasation of blood-borne components from the compromised tight junctions can result in adverse consequences such as edema and neuronal injuries. In this work, we developed a nanoagonist that temporarily opened tight junctions by signaling adenosine 2A receptor, a type of G protein-coupled receptor expressed on brain capillary endothelial cells. Magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated remarkable blood-brain barrier permeability enhancements and significantly increased brain uptakes of both small molecular and macromolecular paramagnetic agents after nanoagonist administration. Gamma ray imaging and transmission electron microscope observed tight junction opening followed by spontaneous recovery after nanoagonist treatment. Immunofluorescence staining showed the unspoiled basal membrane, pericytes and astrocyte endfeet that enwrapped the vascular endothelium. Importantly, edema, apoptosis and neuronal injuries observed after hypertonic agent mediated tight junction-opening were not observed after nanoagonist intervention. The uncompromised neurovascular units may prevent the leakage of blood-borne constituents into brain parenchyma and accelerate tight junction recovery. Considering blood-brain barrier impermeability is a major obstacle in the treatment of central nervous system diseases, nanoagonist-mediated tight junction opening provides a promising strategy to enhance brain drug delivery with minimized adverse effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xihui Gao
- 1 Key Laboratory of Smart Drug Delivery, Ministry of Education, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yuan-Cheng Wang
- 2 Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular and Functional Imaging, Department of Radiology, Zhongda Hospital, Medical School of Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yikang Liu
- 3 Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Qi Yue
- 4 Department of Neurosurgery, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Zining Liu
- 1 Key Laboratory of Smart Drug Delivery, Ministry of Education, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Mengjing Ke
- 1 Key Laboratory of Smart Drug Delivery, Ministry of Education, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Shengyuan Zhao
- 1 Key Laboratory of Smart Drug Delivery, Ministry of Education, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Cong Li
- 1 Key Laboratory of Smart Drug Delivery, Ministry of Education, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
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44
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Åslund AK, Snipstad S, Healey A, Kvåle S, Torp SH, Sontum PC, Davies CDL, van Wamel A. Efficient Enhancement of Blood-Brain Barrier Permeability Using Acoustic Cluster Therapy (ACT). Theranostics 2017; 7:23-30. [PMID: 28042313 PMCID: PMC5196882 DOI: 10.7150/thno.16577] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2016] [Accepted: 08/23/2016] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
The blood-brain barrier (BBB) is a major obstacle in drug delivery for diseases of the brain, and today there is no standardized route to surpass it. One technique to locally and transiently disrupt the BBB, is focused ultrasound in combination with gas-filled microbubbles. However, the microbubbles used are typically developed for ultrasound imaging, not BBB disruption. Here we describe efficient opening of the BBB using the promising novel Acoustic Cluster Therapy (ACT), that recently has been used in combination with Abraxane® to successfully treat subcutaneous tumors of human prostate adenocarcinoma in mice. ACT is based on the conjugation of microbubbles to liquid oil microdroplets through electrostatic interactions. Upon activation in an ultrasound field, the microdroplet phase transfers to form a larger bubble that transiently lodges in the microvasculature. Further insonation induces volume oscillations of the activated bubble, which in turn induce biomechanical effects that increase the permeability of the BBB. ACT was able to safely and temporarily permeabilize the BBB, using an acoustic power 5-10 times lower than applied for conventional microbubbles, and successfully deliver small and large molecules into the brain.
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45
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Fan CH, Chang EL, Ting CY, Lin YC, Liao EC, Huang CY, Chang YC, Chan HL, Wei KC, Yeh CK. Folate-conjugated gene-carrying microbubbles with focused ultrasound for concurrent blood-brain barrier opening and local gene delivery. Biomaterials 2016; 106:46-57. [DOI: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2016.08.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 70] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2016] [Revised: 08/09/2016] [Accepted: 08/10/2016] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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46
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Focused Ultrasound-Induced Blood-Brain Barrier Opening: Association with Mechanical Index and Cavitation Index Analyzed by Dynamic Contrast-Enhanced Magnetic-Resonance Imaging. Sci Rep 2016; 6:33264. [PMID: 27630037 PMCID: PMC5024096 DOI: 10.1038/srep33264] [Citation(s) in RCA: 77] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2016] [Accepted: 08/22/2016] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Focused ultrasound (FUS) with microbubbles can temporally open the blood-brain barrier (BBB), and the cavitation activities of microbubbles play a key role in the BBB-opening process. Previous attempts used contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (CE-MRI) to correlate the mechanical index (MI) with the scale of BBB-opening, but MI only partially gauged acoustic activities, and CE-MRI did not fully explore correlations of pharmacodynamic/pharmacokinetic behaviors. Recently, the cavitation index (CI) has been derived to serve as an indicator of microbubble-ultrasound stable cavitation, and may also serve as a valid indicator to gauge the level of FUS-induced BBB opening. This study investigates the feasibility of gauging FUS-induced BBB opened level via the two indexes, MI and CI, through dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE)-MRI analysis as well as passive cavitation detection (PCD) analysis. Pharmacodynamic/pharmacokinetic parameters derived from DCE-MRI were characterized to identify the scale of FUS-induced BBB opening. Our results demonstrated that DCE-MRI can successfully access pharmacodynamic/pharmacokinetic BBB-opened behavior, and was highly correlated both with MI and CI, implying the feasibility in using these two indices to gauge the scale of FUS-induced BBB opening. The proposed finding may facilitate the design toward using focused ultrasound as a safe and reliable noninvasive CNS drug delivery.
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47
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Masim FCP, Liu HL, Porta M, Yonezawa T, Balčytis A, Juodkazis S, Hsu WH, Hatanaka K. Enhanced photoacoustics from gold nano-colloidal suspensions under femtosecond laser excitation. OPTICS EXPRESS 2016; 24:14781-92. [PMID: 27410630 DOI: 10.1364/oe.24.014781] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
Enhanced photoacoustic (PA) intensity from gold nanosphere and nanorod colloidal suspensions in water under tightly-focused femtosecond pulsed laser irradiation was systematically investigated. PA signal amplitudes were measured by ultrasound transducers at frequencies of 5, 10, and 25 MHz. The experimental results revealed a linear-dependence of the relative photoacoustic amplitude on the laser power and the mechanism was attributed to non-radiative relaxation dynamics of surface plasmon oscillations. When gold nanorod with longitudinal absorption/extinction peak at 800 nm coincides with the wavelength of femtosecond laser pulses, the most efficient PA signal is generated. Laser excitation was kept within a thermal stability region of gold nanoparticles, i.e., colloidal suspension can be continuously reused for PA generation.
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48
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Tsai CH, Zhang JW, Liao YY, Liu HL. Real-time monitoring of focused ultrasound blood-brain barrier opening via subharmonic acoustic emission detection: implementation of confocal dual-frequency piezoelectric transducers. Phys Med Biol 2016; 61:2926-46. [PMID: 26988240 DOI: 10.1088/0031-9155/61/7/2926] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
Burst-tone focused ultrasound exposure in the presence of microbubbles has been demonstrated to be effective at inducing temporal and local opening of the blood-brain barrier (BBB), which promises significant clinical potential to deliver therapeutic molecules into the central nervous system (CNS). Traditional contrast-enhanced imaging confirmation after focused ultrasound (FUS) exposure serves as a post-operative indicator of the effectiveness of FUS-BBB opening, however, an indicator that can concurrently report the BBB status and BBB-opening effectiveness is required to provide effective feedback to implement this treatment clinically. In this study, we demonstrate the use of subharmonic acoustic emission detection with implementation on a confocal dual-frequency piezoelectric ceramic structure to perform real-time monitoring of FUS-BBB opening. A confocal dual-frequency (0.55 MHz/1.1 MHz) focused ultrasound transducer was designed. The 1.1 MHz spherically-curved ceramic was employed to deliver FUS exposure to induce BBB-opening, whereas the outer-ring 0.55 MHz ceramic was employed to detect the subharmonic acoustic emissions originating from the target position. In stage-1 experiments, we employed spectral analysis and performed an energy spectrum density (ESD) calculation. An optimized 0.55 MHz ESD level change was shown to effectively discriminate the occurrence of BBB-opening. Wideband acoustic emissions received from 0.55 MHz ceramics were also analyzed to evaluate its correlations with erythrocyte extravasations. In stage-2 real-time monitoring experiments, we applied the predetermined ESD change as a detection threshold in PC-controlled algorithm to predict the FUS exposure intra-operatively. In stage-1 experiment, we showed that subharmonic ESD presents distinguishable dynamics between intact BBB and opened BBB, and therefore a threshold ESD change level (5.5 dB) can be identified for BBB-opening prediction. Using this ESD change threshold detection as a surrogate to on/off control the FUS exposure in stage-2 experiments, we demonstrated both excellent sensitivity (92%) and specificity (92.3%) in discriminating BBB-opening occurrence can be obtained in animal treatments, while concurrently achieving a high positive predicted value (95.8%). Wideband ESD was also highly correlated with the occurrence and level of erythrocyte extravasations (r (2) = 0.81). The proposed system configuration and corresponding analysis based on subharmonic acoustic emissions has the potential to be implemented as a real-time feedback control structure for reliable indication of intact FUS-BBB opening for CNS brain drug delivery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chih-Hung Tsai
- Department of Electrical Engineering, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan
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49
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Abstract
Like cardiovascular disease and cancer, neurological disorders present an increasing challenge for an ageing population. Whereas nonpharmacological procedures are routine for eliminating cancer tissue or opening a blocked artery, the focus in neurological disease remains on pharmacological interventions. Setbacks in clinical trials and the obstacle of access to the brain for drug delivery and surgery have highlighted the potential for therapeutic use of ultrasound in neurological diseases, and the technology has proved useful for inducing focused lesions, clearing protein aggregates, facilitating drug uptake, and modulating neuronal function. In this Review, we discuss milestones in the development of therapeutic ultrasound, from the first steps in the 1950s to recent improvements in technology. We provide an overview of the principles of diagnostic and therapeutic ultrasound, for surgery and transient opening of the blood-brain barrier, and its application in clinical trials of stroke, Parkinson disease and chronic pain. We discuss the promising outcomes of safety and feasibility studies in preclinical models, including rodents, pigs and macaques, and efficacy studies in models of Alzheimer disease. We also consider the challenges faced on the road to clinical translation.
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50
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Fan CH, Ting CY, Lin CY, Chan HL, Chang YC, Chen YY, Liu HL, Yeh CK. Noninvasive, Targeted, and Non-Viral Ultrasound-Mediated GDNF-Plasmid Delivery for Treatment of Parkinson's Disease. Sci Rep 2016; 6:19579. [PMID: 26786201 PMCID: PMC4726227 DOI: 10.1038/srep19579] [Citation(s) in RCA: 78] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2015] [Accepted: 12/16/2015] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) supports the growth and survival of dopaminergic neurons. CNS gene delivery currently relies on invasive intracerebral injection to transit the blood-brain barrier. Non-viral gene delivery via systematic transvascular route is an attractive alternative because it is non-invasive, but a high-yield and targeted gene-expressed method is still lacking. In this study, we propose a novel non-viral gene delivery approach to achieve targeted gene transfection. Cationic microbubbles as gene carriers were developed to allow the stable formation of a bubble-GDNF gene complex, and transcranial focused ultrasound (FUS) exposure concurrently interacting with the bubble-gene complex allowed transient gene permeation and induced local GDNF expression. We demonstrate that the focused ultrasound-triggered GDNFp-loaded cationic microbubbles platform can achieve non-viral targeted gene delivery via a noninvasive administration route, outperform intracerebral injection in terms of targeted GDNF delivery of high-titer GDNF genes, and has a neuroprotection effect in Parkinson’s disease (PD) animal models to successfully block PD syndrome progression and to restore behavioral function. This study explores the potential of using FUS and bubble-gene complexes to achieve noninvasive and targeted gene delivery for the treatment of neurodegenerative disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ching-Hsiang Fan
- Department of Biomedical Engineering and Environmental Sciences, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, 30013 Taiwan
| | - Chien-Yu Ting
- Department of Biomedical Engineering and Environmental Sciences, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, 30013 Taiwan
| | - Chung-Yin Lin
- Medical Imaging Research Center, Institute for Radiological Research, Chang Gung University/Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan, 33302 Taiwan
| | - Hong-Lin Chan
- Department of Medical Science and Institute of Bioinformatics and Structural Biology, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, 30013 Taiwan
| | - Yuan-Chih Chang
- Institute of Cellular and Organismic Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei, 11529 Taiwan
| | - You-Yin Chen
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, National Yang Ming University, Taipei, 11221 Taiwan
| | - Hao-Li Liu
- Medical Imaging Research Center, Institute for Radiological Research, Chang Gung University/Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan, 33302 Taiwan.,Department of Electrical Engineering, Chang-Gung University, Taoyuan, 33302 Taiwan
| | - Chih-Kuang Yeh
- Department of Biomedical Engineering and Environmental Sciences, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, 30013 Taiwan
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