超声微泡造影剂在肿瘤治疗应用中的进展

近年来,超声微泡造影剂在肿瘤治疗中的作用日臻明显.超声微泡造影剂在超声能量作用下发生空化效应,定向释放药物和基因,提高局部的浓度,达到定向治疗的目的.研究表明,超声微泡造影剂作为药物和基因的载体将有可能为肿瘤的治疗提供一条新的途径.     

一种载基因脂质超声造影剂的制备及特性的实验研究

目的制备一种可作为基因载体的脂质超声造影剂,对其理化性质和兔肾显影效果及载基因的能力进行研究。方法采用机械振荡法制备一种可作为基因载体脂质超声微泡造影剂,观察60Coγ射线灭菌前后造影剂外观、形态、浓度、平均粒径和电位改变,并观察其对正常兔肾显影效果,检测其结合基因的能力。结果自制脂质微泡的平均粒径范围为2.11~6.43μm,平均粒径2.79μm,粒径分布均匀,浓度约为(3.16±0.29)×109/ml;经60Coγ射线灭菌后在显微镜下观察微泡形态,粒径大小无明显变化;体内造影显示该造影剂能够有效增强兔肾实质回声;基因结合量效优化结果显示,造影剂的最大基因结合的效率为22%,最大基因结合量为0.45μg/ml。结论自制脂质超声造影剂符合理想超声造影剂的要求,性质稳定,制备简易,载基因效率高,可望成为一种新型的超声微泡造影剂以及基因或药物治疗的载体。     

超声微泡造影剂——一种新型的基因载体

基因治疗学是目前最重要的研究领域之一,如何将目的基因安全、有效、靶向性地导入体内特定器官、组织并使其在靶细胞内表达是研究的重点.超声微泡造影剂作为一种新型的体内基因转染载体,受到国内外学者的广泛关注.本文对近年来有关超声微泡造影剂作为基因转染载体的作用机制、影响因素、转染实验和应用等方面的研究作了总结.     

载血卟啉的乳酸/羟基乙酸共聚物超声微泡造影剂制备及工艺优化

目的 探讨载声敏剂血卟啉(hematoporphyrin,HP)的高分子材料乳酸/羟基乙酸共聚物[Poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid),PLGA]超声微泡造影剂的优化制备工艺.方法 采用双乳化法制备包裹HP的PLGA超声微泡造影剂,通过正交设计筛选出比较理想的制备工艺,并对所制备的造影剂进行药物体外释放评估及体外超声造影观察.结果 载HP的PLGA造影剂(HP-PLGA)平均粒径602.3 nm,平均包封率63.5%,平均载药量2.15%,电位-(17.1±1.6)mV,体外14 d缓释约86.5%,体外超声显影良好.结论 通过采用双乳化法制备的HP-PLGA造影剂,具备缓释长效的特性,体外显像效果好,符合理想药物载体的基本特性,为实时监控下体内声动力治疗肿瘤提供了一种新型的药物剂型.     

一种载基因及多聚赖氨酸的脂质超声微泡造影剂制备的实验研究

目的 制备一种能高效载基因的脂质超声微泡造影剂,评价其物理性质、载基因和体内显影能力.方法 采用层-层吸附(LbL)法将基因和多聚赖氨酸(PLL)分层吸附在自制的脂质超声微泡造影剂上,检测微泡造影剂的形态、分布、浓度、粒径、表面电位、载基因和体内显影能力.结果 载PLL、载PLL+基因及载PLL+基因+PLL的微泡与空白微泡相比,其形态、浓度、粒径没有显著差异;随着载PLL和基因层数增加,其表面电位向正或负反转;载基因超声微泡造影剂其外壳吸附基因的层数增加,载基因量也随之增加;载PLL+基因的微泡可增强兔肝实质显像,持续20 min以上.结论 自制的载基因及PLL脂质超声微泡造影剂制备方法简单,载基因的效率高,可作为携带基因等生物活性物质的载体材料.     

包裹Gd—DTPA的高分子材料超声造影剂的制备与体外显影实验

目的 制备一种多功能的超声造影剂,对其理化性质及体外显影进行研究.方法 采用在体内能生物降解的人工合成高分子聚合物乳酸/羟基乙酸共聚物(PLGA)作为载体,通过双乳化法和冷冻干燥技术制备包裹磁共振对比剂钆喷酸葡胺(Gd-DTPA ,Gd)和氟碳气体的PLGA微泡造影剂(Gd-PLGA造影剂).观察其外观、形态、体外显影效果,检测其粒径、电位及包裹Gd的能力.结果 采用本法成功制备了Gd-PLGA造影剂;光镜及电镜观察其形态规则,呈球型,大小均匀,平均粒径为(1.47±0.38) μm,电位为(-28.0±12.4) mV;包封率为(64.37±2.5)%;能实现体外超声与磁共振显像.结论 PLGA包载Gd制备的Gd-PLGA理化性质稳定,具有较高的包封率,体外超声与磁共振显影效果好,有望成为一种新型的超声造影剂以及基因或药物治疗的载体.     

亚微米级超声微泡造影剂的制备及体外基因转染效率的实验研究

目的 探索制备亚微米级超声微泡造影剂的方法 ,以GFP作为目的 基因验证其作为一种新型基因载体的可行性.方法 以高剪切分散法制备超声微泡造影剂,透射电镜及激光粒度分析仪检测其形态及粒径;将超声微泡造影剂与不同剂量的绿色荧光蛋白质粒PShuttle-IRES-hrGFP-1结合后转染HepG2细胞,利用荧光显微镜观察并检测其基因转染效率.结果 自制超声微泡造影剂为均匀分散的圆泡,粒径分布在282.2～415.7 nm之间,平均值为(335±5)nm,达到亚微米级;该微泡能将GFP基因成功转运到HepG2细胞内并高效表达,转染效率达32.61%±3.42%.结论 自制亚微米级超声微泡造影剂粒径小、分散均匀,并能成功转运外源DNA进入细胞内,可作为一种新型基因载体.     

载长春新碱长循环聚合物超声微泡造影剂的制备及性能评价

目的 制备载硫酸长春新碱的聚乳酸-乙醇酸-聚乙二醇共聚物(PLGA-PEG)超声微泡造影剂,观察微泡的一般特性及体内、外显影效果.方法 采用W/O/W复乳-溶剂挥干法制备超声微泡造影剂,正交实验设计获得最佳制备工艺,采用紫外分光光度法测定微泡的包封率和载药量,光学显微镜观察微泡形态,以马尔文激光粒径测量仪测定微泡造影剂的粒径、Zeta电位,并观察微泡在兔心腔的显影效果.结果 获得的微泡造影剂为球形,平均粒径约为1.27 μm,包封率为(37.63±0.61)%,Zeta电位为-24.88 mV,静脉注射载药微泡后,能增强兔心腔超声显影效果.结论 采用复乳-溶剂挥干法成功制备超声微泡造影剂,能增强体内外超声显影效果.     

自制纳米级超声微泡体外基本特性和肿瘤造影增强显影的实验研究

目的 探讨自制纳米级超声微泡的体内基本特性及体内造影增强显影效果.方法 机械振荡与低速离心法结合制备纳米级微泡,并对微泡粒径大小、分布、微观形态和稳定性进行研究.同时在裸鼠肝、肾及前列腺癌皮下移植瘤进行超声造影实验,与常规微米级造影剂对比造影效果.结果 所制备的微泡形态圆整,大小均一性较好,分布均匀无聚集,平均粒径(580.6±36.3)nm.该纳米级微泡能显著增强裸鼠肝肾及皮下移植瘤显影,与常规造影剂比较,不但增强强度相当,且显影时间显著延长.结论 自制纳米级超声微泡造影剂各项物理特性符合纳米级超声造影剂的要求,体内增强效果和稳定性较强,为下一步纳米级微泡在肿瘤显像和治疗中的应用提供实验依据.     

包裹阿霉素的高分子材料微泡声学造影剂制备及显影效果实验研究

目的探索包裹药物的微泡声学造影剂制备方法,观察其体内外显影效果。方法采用在体内能生物降解的人工合成高分子聚合物乳酸／羟基乙酸共聚物（PICA）作为成膜材料,通过双乳化法和冷冻干燥技术制备包裹阿霉素（ADM）和空气的PICA微泡声学造影剂（ADM-PICA声学造影剂）。光学显微镜进行形态学观察。体外和动物实验观察其显影效果。结果采用本法成功制备了ADM-PICA声学造影剂;光镜观察其形态规则,呈球型,大小均匀,最大粒径〈4μm;体内外显影效果好。结论通过本方法可以合成包裹水溶性药物的微泡声学造影剂,为应用超声波和微泡造影剂进行体内药物定位释放研究打下了基础。     

Self-assembled liposome-loaded microbubbles: The missing link for safe and efficient ultrasound triggered drug-delivery

Liposome-loaded microbubbles have been recently introduced as a promising drug delivery platform for ultrasound guided drug delivery. In this paper we design liposome-loaded (lipid-shelled) microbubbles through the simple self-assembly of the involved compounds in a single step process. We thoroughly characterized the liposome-loading of the microbubbles and evaluated the cell killing efficiency of this material using doxorubicin (DOX) as a model drug. Importantly, we observed that the DOX liposome-loaded microbubbles allowed killing of melanoma cells even at very low doses of DOX. These findings clearly prove the potential of liposome-loaded microbubbles for ultrasound targeted drug delivery to cancer tissues.     

Enhanced Intracellular Delivery of a Model Drug Using Microbubbles Produced by a Microfluidic Device

Focal drug delivery to a vessel wall facilitated by intravascular ultrasound and microbubbles holds promise as a potential therapy for atherosclerosis. Conventional methods of microbubble administration result in rapid clearance from the bloodstream and significant drug loss. To address these limitations, we evaluated whether drug delivery could be achieved with transiently stable microbubbles produced in real time and in close proximity to the therapeutic site. Rat aortic smooth muscle cells were placed in a flow chamber designed to simulate physiological flow conditions. A flow-focusing microfluidic device produced 8 μm diameter monodisperse microbubbles within the flow chamber, and ultrasound was applied to enhance uptake of a surrogate drug (calcein). Acoustic pressures up to 300 kPa and flow rates up to 18 mL/s were investigated. Microbubbles generated by the flow-focusing microfluidic device were stabilized with a polyethylene glycol-40 stearate shell and had either a perfluorobutane (PFB) or nitrogen gas core. The gas core composition affected stability, with PFB and nitrogen microbubbles exhibiting half-lives of 40.7 and 18.2 s, respectively. Calcein uptake was observed at lower acoustic pressures with nitrogen microbubbles (100 kPa) than with PFB microbubbles (200 kPa) (p < 0.05, n > 3). In addition, delivery was observed at all flow rates, with maximal delivery (>70% of cells) occurring at a flow rate of 9 mL/s. These results demonstrate the potential of transiently stable microbubbles produced in real time and in close proximity to the intended therapeutic site for enhancing localized drug delivery.     

Design and Evaluation of Doxorubicin-containing Microbubbles for Ultrasound-triggered Doxorubicin Delivery: Cytotoxicity and Mechanisms Involved

Drug delivery with microbubbles and ultrasound is gaining more and more attention in the drug delivery field due to its noninvasiveness, local applicability, and proven safety in ultrasonic imaging techniques. In this article, we tried to improve the cytotoxicity of doxorubicin (DOX)-containing liposomes by preparing DOX-liposome-containing microbubbles for drug delivery with therapeutic ultrasound. In this way, the DOX release and uptake can be restricted to ultrasound-treated areas. Compared to DOX-liposomes, DOX-loaded microbubbles killed at least two times more melanoma cells after exposure to ultrasound. After treatment of the melanoma cells with DOX-liposome-loaded microbubbles and ultrasound, DOX was mainly present in the nuclei of the cancer cells, whereas it was mainly detected in the cytoplasm of cells treated with DOX-liposomes. Exposure of cells to DOX-liposome-loaded microbubbles and ultrasound caused an almost instantaneous cellular entry of the DOX. At least two mechanisms were identified that explain the fast uptake of DOX and the superior cell killing of DOX-liposome-loaded microbubbles and ultrasound. First, exposure of DOX-liposome-loaded microbubbles to ultrasound results in the release of free DOX that is more cytotoxic than DOX-liposomes. Second, the cellular entry of the released DOX is facilitated due to sonoporation of the cell membranes. The in vitro results shown in this article indicate that DOX-liposome-loaded microbubbles could be a very interesting tool to obtain an efficient ultrasound-controlled DOX delivery in vivo.     

Encapsulated ultrasound microbubbles: therapeutic application in drug/gene delivery.

Encapsulated gas microbubbles are well known as ultrasound contrast agents for medical ultrasound imaging. Nonetheless, not only do these microbubbles help to image, but they can also be used as drug/gene carriers. The microbubbles as drug/gene carriers have an average size less than that of red blood cells, i.e. they are capable of penetrating even into the small blood capillaries and releasing drug and genes under the action of ultrasound field. The application of ultrasound and microbubbles to targeted drug and gene delivery has been the subject of intense experimental research. Under exposure of sufficiently high-amplitude ultrasound, these targeted microbubbles would rupture, spewing drugs or genes, which are contained in its encapsulating layer, to targeted cells or tissues. Recently, targeting ligands are attached to the surface of the microbubbles (i.e. targeted-microbubbles), which have been widely used in cardiovascular system and tumor diagnosis and therapy. In this paper, the characterization of novel targeted ultrasonic contrast agents or microbubbles and their potential applications in drug delivery or gene therapy are reviewed.     

Investigation of microbubble response to long pulses used in ultrasound-enhanced drug delivery

In current drug delivery approaches, microbubbles and drugs can be co-administered while ultrasound is applied. The mechanism of microbubble interaction with ultrasound, the drug and the cells is not fully understood. The aim of this study was to investigate microbubble response to long ultrasonic pulses used in drug delivery approaches. Two different in vitro set-ups were considered: with the microbubbles diluted in an enclosure and with the microbubbles flowing in a capillary tube. Acoustic streaming, which influences the observed bubble response, was observed in “typical” drug delivery conditions in the first set-up. With the capillary set-up, streaming effects were avoided and accurate bubble responses were recorded. The diffraction pattern of the source greatly influences the bubble response and in different locations of the field different bubble responses are observed. At low nondestructive pressures, microbubbles can oscillate for thousands of cycles repeatedly. At high acoustic pressures (at 1 MHz), most bubble activity disappeared within about 100 μs despite the length of the pulse, mainly due to violent bubble destruction and subsequent accelerated diffusion.     

Coupling of drug containing liposomes to microbubbles improves ultrasound triggered drug delivery in mice

Local extravasation and triggered drug delivery by use of ultrasound and microbubbles is a promising strategy to target drugs to their sites of action. In the past we have developed drug loaded microbubbles by coupling drug containing liposomes to the surface of microbubbles. Until now the advantages of this drug loading strategy have only been demonstrated in vitro. Therefore, in this paper, microbubbles with indocyanine green (ICG) containing liposomes at their surface or a mixture of ICG-liposomes and microbubbles was injected intravenously in mice. Immediately after injection the left hind leg was exposed to 1 MHz ultrasound and the ICG deposition was monitored 1, 4 and 7 days post-treatment by in vivo fluorescence imaging. In mice that received the ICG-liposome loaded microbubbles the local ICG deposition was, at each time point, about 2-fold higher than in mice that received ICG-liposomes mixed with microbubbles. We also showed that the perforations in the blood vessels allow the passage of ICG-liposomes up to 5 h after microbubble and ultrasound treatment. An increase in tissue temperature to 41 °C was observed in all ultrasound treated mice. However, ultrasound tissue heating was excluded to cause the local ICG deposition. We concluded that coupling of drug containing liposomes to microbubbles may increase ultrasound mediated drug delivery in vivo.     

Targeted drug delivery with focused ultrasound-induced blood-brain barrier opening using acoustically-activated nanodroplets

Focused ultrasound (FUS) in the presence of systemically administered microbubbles has been shown to locally, transiently and reversibly increase the permeability of the blood–brain barrier (BBB), thus allowing targeted delivery of therapeutic agents in the brain for the treatment of central nervous system diseases. Currently, microbubbles are the only agents that have been used to facilitate the FUS-induced BBB opening. However, they are constrained within the intravascular space due to their micron-size diameters, limiting the delivery effect at or near the microvessels. In the present study, acoustically-activated nanodroplets were used as a new class of contrast agents to mediate FUS-induced BBB opening in order to study the feasibility of utilizing these nanoscale phase-shift particles for targeted drug delivery in the brain. Significant dextran delivery was achieved in the mouse hippocampus using nanodroplets at clinically relevant pressures. Passive cavitation detection was used in the attempt to establish a correlation between the amount of dextran delivered in the brain and the acoustic emission recorded during sonication. Conventional microbubbles with the same lipid shell composition and perfluorobutane core as the nanodroplets were also used to compare the efficiency of an FUS-induced dextran delivery. It was found that nanodroplets had a higher BBB opening pressure threshold but a lower stable cavitation threshold than microbubbles, suggesting that contrast agent-dependent acoustic emission monitoring was needed. A more homogeneous dextran delivery within the targeted hippocampus was achieved using nanodroplets without inducing inertial cavitation or compromising safety. Our results offered a new means of developing the FUS-induced BBB opening technology for potential extravascular targeted drug delivery in the brain, extending the potential drug delivery region beyond the cerebral vasculature.     

载多西紫杉醇脂质微泡超声造影剂的制备及其性质

目的 制备载多西紫杉醇脂质微泡并测定性质及观察其体内显像效果.方法 制备载多西紫杉醇脂质微泡,测定粒径、包封率等性质;观察60Co射线灭菌前后微泡性质的差异,观察超声辐照后载药微泡药物的释放,并观察其对兔VX2肝癌的显像效果.结果 载多西紫杉醇微泡的浓度为2.2×109～3.2×109个/ml;粒径分布范围为473.4～706.6 nm,平均粒径为623.1 nm;微泡的包封率为70%以上,载药量为(17.5±0.8)%;Zeta电位为-(3.1±0.9)mV;超声辐照微泡溶液后,药物可释放;静脉注射此微泡后,兔肝实质见良好、持续的增强显像,肝癌病灶可见明显的"快进快出"显影表现.结论 载多西紫杉醇脂质微泡包封率较高,性质较佳,体内显像效果好,提高了超声在肝癌等肿瘤诊断中的价值,超声辐照能促使微泡中的药物释放,有望在实时监控下体内定点靶向给药,实现对肿瘤的靶向治疗.     

Microbubble Formulations: Synthesis,Stability, Modeling and Biomedical Applications

Microbubbles are increasingly being used in biomedical applications such as ultrasonic imaging and targeted drug delivery. Microbubbles typically range from 0.1 to 10 µm in size and consist of a protective shell made of lipids or proteins. The shell encapsulates a gaseous core containing gases such as oxygen, sulfur hexafluoride or perfluorocarbons. This review is a consolidated account of information available in the literature on research related to microbubbles. Efforts have been made to present an overview of microbubble synthesis techniques; microbubble stability; microbubbles as contrast agents in ultrasonic imaging and drug delivery vehicles; and side effects related to microbubble administration in humans. Developments related to the modeling of microbubble dissolution and stability are also discussed.     

The Combination of Intralymphatic Chemotherapy with Ultrasound and Nano-/Microbubbles Is Efficient in the Treatment of Experimental Tumors in Mouse Lymph Nodes

Intravenous chemotherapy is a therapeutic option for the treatment of lymph node metastasis, but the drugs often have difficulty accessing the lymphatic system. The aim of this study was to determine whether the combination of intralymphatic chemotherapy with ultrasound and nano-/microbubbles is active against tumors in mouse lymph nodes. Intralymphatic chemotherapy in mice with lymph nodes containing tumors was found to have a marked anti-tumor effect, compared with intravenous administration, and the addition of ultrasound combined with nano-/microbubbles enhanced the effect of the anti-cancer drug, but only when the drug was administered intralymphatically. Furthermore, decreases in the volumes and blood vessel densities of tumor-bearing lymph nodes are reliable measures of therapeutic effect, confirmed by histopathological evaluation. The main conclusion is that combining ultrasound with nano-/microbubbles and intralymphatic chemotherapy improves drug delivery to the lymphatic system and has a more potent anti-tumor effect.