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Upadhyay A, Dalvi SV. Microbubble Formulations: Synthesis, Stability, Modeling and Biomedical Applications. ULTRASOUND IN MEDICINE & BIOLOGY 2019; 45:301-343. [PMID: 30527395 DOI: 10.1016/j.ultrasmedbio.2018.09.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2018] [Revised: 09/25/2018] [Accepted: 09/26/2018] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
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.
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Affiliation(s)
- Awaneesh Upadhyay
- Chemical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar, Gandhinagar, India
| | - Sameer V Dalvi
- Chemical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar, Gandhinagar, India.
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Abstract
Despite an overall improvement in survival rates for cancer, certain resistant forms of the disease still impose a significant burden on patients and healthcare systems. Standard chemotherapy in these cases is often ineffective and/or gives rise to severe side effects. Targeted delivery of chemotherapeutics could improve both tumour response and patient experience. Hence, there is an urgent need to develop effective methods for this. Ultrasound is an established technique in both diagnosis and therapy. Its use in conjunction with microbubbles is being actively researched for the targeted delivery of small-molecule drugs. In this review, we cover the methods by which ultrasound and microbubbles can be used to overcome tumour barriers to cancer therapy.
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Liao AH, Ho HC, Lin YC, Chen HK, Wang CH. Effects of Microbubble Size on Ultrasound-Induced Transdermal Delivery of High-Molecular-Weight Drugs. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0138500. [PMID: 26390051 PMCID: PMC4577131 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0138500] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2015] [Accepted: 08/31/2015] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The transdermal delivery of a wide range of high-molecular-weight drugs is limited by the stratum corneum layer of the epidermis representing a significant barrier to penetration across the skin. This study first determined the different effects of different-size ultrasound (US) contrast agents and microbubbles (MBs) for enhancing the transdermal delivery of high-molecular-weight drugs. The effects of US-mediated different-size (1.4, 2.1, and 3.5 μm) MBs (as a contrast agent) and ascorbyl tetraisopalmitate (VC-IP) on enhancing skin transdermal delivery were demonstrated both in vitro and in vivo. The results indicated that at a power density of 3 W/cm2 the penetration depth in group US combined with 3.5-μm MBs and penetrating VC-IP (U+3.5) was 34% and 14% higher than those in groups US combined with 1.4-μm MBs and penetrating VC-IP (U+1.4) and US combined with 2.1-μm MBs and penetrating VC-IP (U+2.1), respectively, for the agarose phantoms, while the corresponding increases for pigskin were 37% and 19%.In terms of the skin permeation of VC-IP, the VC-IP concentration in group U+3.5 was 23% and 10% higher in than those in groups U+1.4 and U+2.1, respectively. The whitening effect (luminosity index) of mice skin in group U+3.5 had increased (significantly) by 28% after 1 week, by 34% after 2 weeks, and tended to stabilize after 3 weeks (45%) in C57BL/6J mice over a 4-week experimental period. The results obtained in this study indicate that combining US with MBs of different sizes can produce different degrees of skin permeability so as to enhance the delivery of VC-IP to inhibit melanogenesis, without damaging the skin in mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ai-Ho Liao
- Graduate Institute of Biomedical Engineering, National Taiwan University of Science and Technology, Taipei, 10607, Taiwan
- Department of Medical Engineering, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, 11490, Taiwan
- * E-mail: (AHL); (CHW)
| | - Hsin-Chiao Ho
- Graduate Institute of Biomedical Engineering, National Taiwan University of Science and Technology, Taipei, 10607, Taiwan
| | - Yi-Chun Lin
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Tri-Service General Hospital, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, 11490, Taiwan
| | - Hang-Kang Chen
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Tri-Service General Hospital, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, 11490, Taiwan
| | - Chih-Hung Wang
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Tri-Service General Hospital, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, 11490, Taiwan
- Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, 11490, Taiwan
- Hualien Armed Forces General Hospital, Hualien County, 97144, Taiwan
- * E-mail: (AHL); (CHW)
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Effects of microbubble size on ultrasound-mediated gene transfection in auditory cells. BIOMED RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2014; 2014:840852. [PMID: 25254216 PMCID: PMC4164849 DOI: 10.1155/2014/840852] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2014] [Accepted: 07/13/2014] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Gene therapy for sensorineural hearing loss has recently been used to insert genes encoding functional proteins to preserve, protect, or even regenerate hair cells in the inner ear. Our previous study demonstrated a microbubble- (MB-)facilitated ultrasound (US) technique for delivering therapeutic medication to the inner ear. The present study investigated whether MB-US techniques help to enhance the efficiency of gene transfection by means of cationic liposomes on HEI-OC1 auditory cells and whether MBs of different sizes affect such efficiency. Our results demonstrated that the size of MBs was proportional to the concentration of albumin or dextrose. At a constant US power density, using 0.66, 1.32, and 2.83 μm albumin-shelled MBs increased the transfection rate as compared to the control by 30.6%, 54.1%, and 84.7%, respectively; likewise, using 1.39, 2.12, and 3.47 μm albumin-dextrose-shelled MBs increased the transfection rates by 15.9%, 34.3%, and 82.7%, respectively. The results indicate that MB-US is an effective technique to facilitate gene transfer on auditory cells in vitro. Such size-dependent MB oscillation behavior in the presence of US plays a role in enhancing gene transfer, and by manipulating the concentration of albumin or dextrose, MBs of different sizes can be produced.
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Papadopoulou V, Tang MX, Balestra C, Eckersley RJ, Karapantsios TD. Circulatory bubble dynamics: from physical to biological aspects. Adv Colloid Interface Sci 2014; 206:239-49. [PMID: 24534474 DOI: 10.1016/j.cis.2014.01.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2013] [Revised: 01/21/2014] [Accepted: 01/22/2014] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Bubbles can form in the body during or after decompression from pressure exposures such as those undergone by scuba divers, astronauts, caisson and tunnel workers. Bubble growth and detachment physics then becomes significant in predicting and controlling the probability of these bubbles causing mechanical problems by blocking vessels, displacing tissues, or inducing an inflammatory cascade if they persist for too long in the body before being dissolved. By contrast to decompression induced bubbles whose site of initial formation and exact composition are debated, there are other instances of bubbles in the bloodstream which are well-defined. Gas emboli unwillingly introduced during surgical procedures and ultrasound microbubbles injected for use as contrast or drug delivery agents are therefore also discussed. After presenting the different ways that bubbles can end up in the human bloodstream, the general mathematical formalism related to the physics of bubble growth and detachment from decompression is reviewed. Bubble behavior in the bloodstream is then discussed, including bubble dissolution in blood, bubble rheology and biological interactions for the different cases of bubble and blood composition considered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Virginie Papadopoulou
- Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College London, London, UK; Environmental & Occupational Physiology Lab., Haute Ecole Paul Henri Spaak, Brussels, Belgium.
| | - Meng-Xing Tang
- Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Costantino Balestra
- Environmental & Occupational Physiology Lab., Haute Ecole Paul Henri Spaak, Brussels, Belgium; DAN Europe Research Division, Belgium
| | - Robert J Eckersley
- Biomedical Engineering Department, Division of Imaging Sciences, King's College London, London, UK
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Browning RJ, Rajkumar V, Pedley RB, Eckersley RJ, Blower PJ. Prospects for enhancement of targeted radionuclide therapy of cancer using ultrasound. J Labelled Comp Radiopharm 2014; 57:279-84. [PMID: 24347456 DOI: 10.1002/jlcr.3157] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2013] [Accepted: 10/29/2013] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Ultrasound-mediated drug delivery is a promising means of enhancing delivery, distribution and effectiveness of drugs within tumours. In this review, prospects for exploiting ultrasound to improve the tumour delivery and distribution of radiolabelled antibodies for radioimmunotherapy and to overcome barriers imposed by tumour microenvironment are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard J Browning
- King's College London, Division of Imaging Sciences and Biomedical Engineering, St Thomas' Hospital, 4th Floor Lambeth Wing, London, SE1 9EH, UK
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Chen JL, Dhanaliwala AH, Dixon AJ, Klibanov AL, Hossack JA. Synthesis and characterization of transiently stable albumin-coated microbubbles via a flow-focusing microfluidic device. ULTRASOUND IN MEDICINE & BIOLOGY 2014; 40:400-9. [PMID: 24342914 PMCID: PMC3947360 DOI: 10.1016/j.ultrasmedbio.2013.09.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2013] [Revised: 09/16/2013] [Accepted: 09/20/2013] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
We describe a method for synthesizing albumin-shelled, large-diameter (>10 μm), transiently stable microbubbles using a flow-focusing microfluidic device (FFMD). The microfluidic device enables microbubbles to be produced immediately before insonation, thus relaxing the requirements for stability. Both reconstituted fractionated bovine serum albumin (BSA) and fresh bovine blood plasma were investigated as shell stabilizers. Microbubble coalescence was inhibited by the addition of either dextrose or glycerol and propylene glycol. Microbubbles were observed to have an acoustic half-life of approximately 6 s. Microbubbles generated directly within a vessel phantom containing flowing blood produced a 6.5-dB increase in acoustic signal within the lumen. Microbubbles generated in real time upstream of in vitro rat aortic smooth muscle cells under physiologic flow conditions successfully permeabilized 58% of the cells on insonation at a peak negative pressure of 200 kPa. These results indicate that transiently stable microbubbles produced via flow-focusing microfluidic devices are capable of image enhancement and drug delivery. In addition, successful microbubble production with blood plasma suggests the potential to use blood as a stabilizing shell.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johnny L Chen
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
| | - Ali H Dhanaliwala
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
| | - Adam J Dixon
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
| | - Alexander L Klibanov
- Cardiovascular Division, Department of Medicine, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
| | - John A Hossack
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA.
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Cavalli R, Bisazza A, Lembo D. Micro- and nanobubbles: a versatile non-viral platform for gene delivery. Int J Pharm 2013; 456:437-45. [PMID: 24008081 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpharm.2013.08.041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2013] [Revised: 08/20/2013] [Accepted: 08/24/2013] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Micro- and nanobubbles provide a promising non-viral strategy for ultrasound mediated gene delivery. Microbubbles are spherical gas-filled structures with a mean diameter of 1-8 μm, characterised by their core-shell composition and their ability to circulate in the bloodstream following intravenous injection. They undergo volumetric oscillations or acoustic cavitation when insonified by ultrasound and, most importantly, they are able to resonate at diagnostic frequencies. It is due to this behaviour that microbubbles are currently being used as ultrasound contrast agents, but their use in therapeutics is still under investigation. For example, microbubbles could play a role in enhancing gene delivery to cells: when combined with clinical ultrasound exposure, microbubbles are able to favour gene entry into cells by cavitation. Two different delivery strategies have been used to date: DNA can be co-administered with the microbubbles (i.e. the contrast agent) or 'loaded' in purposed-built bubble systems - indeed a number of different technological approaches have been proposed to associate genes within microbubble structures. Nanobubbles, bubbles with sizes in the nanometre order of magnitude, have also been developed with the aim of obtaining more efficient gene delivery systems. Their small sizes allow the possibility of extravasation from blood vessels into the surrounding tissues and ultrasound-targeted site-specific release with minimal invasiveness. In contrast, microbubbles, due to their larger sizes, are unable to extravasate, thus and their targeting capacity is limited to specific antigens present within the vascular lumen. This review provides an overview of the use of microbubbles as gene delivery systems, with a specific focus on recent research into the development of nanosystems. In particular, ultrasound delivery mechanisms, formulation parameters, gene-loading approaches and the advantages of nanometric systems will be described.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberta Cavalli
- Dipartimento di Scienza e Tecnologia del Farmaco, Università di Torino, Via Pietro Giuria 9, 10125 Torino, Italy.
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Yuan QY, Huang J, Li XJ, Peng JB, Li XS, Chen ZP, Si LY. A transendocardial delivery and intracardiac ultrasound irradiation treatment catheter. Drug Deliv 2013; 20:252-7. [DOI: 10.3109/10717544.2013.801048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
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Lamanauskas N, Novell A, Escoffre JM, Venslauskas M, Šatkauskas S, Bouakaz A. Bleomycin delivery into cancer cellsin vitrowith ultrasound and SonoVue® or BR14® microbubbles. J Drug Target 2013; 21:407-14. [DOI: 10.3109/1061186x.2012.761223] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
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