Photodynamic opening of blood-brain barrier

Cascade Nanoreactor Employs Mitochondrial-Directed Chemodynamic and δ-ALA-Mediated Photodynamic Synergy for Deep-Seated Oral Cancer Therapy

The management of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) poses significant challenges, leading to organ impairment and ineffective treatment of deep-seated tumors, adversely affecting patient prognosis. A cascade nanoreactor that integrates photodynamic therapy (PDT) and chemodynamic therapy (CDT) for comprehensive multimodal OSCC treatment is introduced. Utilizing iron oxide and mesoporous silica, the FMMSH drug delivery system, encapsulating the photosensitizer prodrug δ-aminolevulinic acid (δ-ALA), is developed. Triphenylphosphine (TPP) modification facilitates mitochondrial targeting, while tumor cell membrane (TCM) coating provides homotypic targeting. The dual-targeting δ-ALA@FMMSH-TPP-TCM demonstrate efficacy in eradicating both superficial and deep tumors through synergistic PDT/CDT. Esterase overexpression in OSCC cells triggers δ-ALA release, and excessive hydrogen peroxide in tumor mitochondria undergoes Fenton chemistry for CDT. The synergistic interaction of PDT and CDT increases cytotoxic ROS levels, intensifying oxidative stress and enhancing apoptotic mechanisms, ultimately leading to tumor cell death. PDT/CDT-induced apoptosis generates δ-ALA-containing apoptotic bodies, enhancing antitumor efficacy in deep tumor cells. The anatomical accessibility of oral cancer emphasizes the potential of intratumoral injection for precise and localized treatment delivery, ensuring focused therapeutic agent delivery to maximize efficacy while minimizing side effects. Thus, δ-ALA@FMMSH-TPP-TCM, tailored for intratumoral injection, emerges as a transformative modality in OSCC treatment.

Carrier-Free, Amorphous Verteporfin Nanodrug for Enhanced Photodynamic Cancer Therapy and Brain Drug Delivery

Glioblastoma (GBM) is hard to treat due to cellular invasion into functioning brain tissues, limited drug delivery, and evolved treatment resistance. Recurrence is nearly universal even after surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation. Photodynamic therapy (PDT) involves photosensitizer administration followed by light activation to generate reactive oxygen species at tumor sites, thereby killing cells or inducing biological changes. PDT can ablate unresectable GBM and sensitize tumors to chemotherapy. Verteporfin (VP) is a promising photosensitizer that relies on liposomal carriers for clinical use. While lipids increase VP's solubility, they also reduce intracellular photosensitizer accumulation. Here, a pure-drug nanoformulation of VP, termed "NanoVP", eliminating the need for lipids, excipients, or stabilizers is reported. NanoVP has a tunable size (65-150 nm) and 1500-fold higher photosensitizer loading capacity than liposomal VP. NanoVP shows a 2-fold increase in photosensitizer uptake and superior PDT efficacy in GBM cells compared to liposomal VP. In mouse models, NanoVP-PDT improved tumor control and extended animal survival, outperforming liposomal VP and 5-aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA). Moreover, low-dose NanoVP-PDT can safely open the blood-brain barrier, increasing drug accumulation in rat brains by 5.5-fold compared to 5-ALA. NanoVP is a new photosensitizer formulation that has the potential to facilitate PDT for the treatment of GBM.

Beyond fluorescence-guided resection: 5-ALA-based glioblastoma therapies

Glioblastoma is the most common primary malignant brain tumor. Despite advances in multimodal concepts over the last decades, prognosis remains poor. Treatment of patients with glioblastoma remains a considerable challenge due to the infiltrative nature of the tumor, rapid growth rates, and tumor heterogeneity. Standard therapy consists of maximally safe microsurgical resection followed by adjuvant radio- and chemotherapy with temozolomide. In recent years, local therapies have been extensively investigated in experimental as well as translational levels. External stimuli-responsive therapies such as Photodynamic Therapy (PDT), Sonodynamic Therapy (SDT) and Radiodynamic Therapy (RDT) can induce cell death mechanisms via generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) after administration of five-aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA), which induces the formation of sensitizing porphyrins within tumor tissue. Preliminary data from clinical trials are available. The aim of this review is to summarize the status of such therapeutic approaches as an adjunct to current standard therapy in glioblastoma.

Simulating photodynamic therapy for the treatment of glioblastoma using Monte Carlo radiative transport

Significance

Glioblastoma (GBM) is a rare but deadly form of brain tumor with a low median survival rate of 14.6 months, due to its resistance to treatment. An independent simulation of the INtraoperative photoDYnamic therapy for GliOblastoma (INDYGO) trial, a clinical trial aiming to treat the GBM resection cavity with photodynamic therapy (PDT) via a laser coupled balloon device, is demonstrated.

Aim

To develop a framework providing increased understanding for the PDT treatment, its parameters, and their impact on the clinical outcome.

Approach

We use Monte Carlo radiative transport techniques within a computational brain model containing a GBM to simulate light path and PDT effects. Treatment parameters (laser power, photosensitizer concentration, and irradiation time) are considered, as well as PDT's impact on brain tissue temperature.

Results

The simulation suggests that 39% of post-resection GBM cells are killed at the end of treatment when using the standard INDYGO trial protocol (light fluence = 200    J / cm 2 at balloon wall) and assuming an initial photosensitizer concentration of 5    μ M . Increases in treatment time and light power (light fluence = 400    J / cm 2 at balloon wall) result in further cell kill but increase brain cell temperature, which potentially affects treatment safety. Increasing the p hotosensitizer concentration produces the most significant increase in cell kill, with 61% of GBM cells killed when doubling concentration to 10    μ M and keeping the treatment time and power the same. According to these simulations, the standard trial protocol is reasonably well optimized with improvements in cell kill difficult to achieve without potentially dangerous increases in temperature. To improve treatment outcome, focus should be placed on improving the photosensitizer.

Conclusions

With further development and optimization, the simulation could have potential clinical benefit and be used to help plan and optimize intraoperative PDT treatment for GBM.

Acupuncture with specific mode electro-stimulation effectively and transiently opens the BBB through Shh signaling pathway

To explore a new method that patients with brain diseases such as stroke sequelae are hindered by blood-brain barrier (BBB) in clinical treatment. Research preliminarily found that acupuncture with specific mode electro-stimulation (EA) to open BBB-assisted drug delivery may be is an effective means to improve the clinical efficacy of brain disease patients. So here we further explore the features and mechanism. Middle cerebral artery occlusion/R recovery rats were employed as the animal model. Laser Doppler monitoring cerebral blood flow decreased to 45 ± 10% of the baseline value as modeling criteria and TTC staining observed infarcted areas of brain tissue. The permeability of FITC-Dextran and EB in the frontal lobe of rats was observed by microscope. After that, Western blot and Immunofluorescence staining for the detection of the shh and Gli1 signal molecule, Claudin-5 Occludin ZO-1 tight junction (TJ) proteins. EA can open the BBB stably and effectively, and has the characteristics of starting to close soon after the end of EA; EA inhibits the Shh-Gli1 signaling pathway, and downregulates Occludin ZO-1 TJ proteins. These results suggest that EA is safe and reversible in opening the BBB, and its mechanism is related to the inhibition of Shh signaling pathway to down-regulate the expression of TJ proteins.

ROS regulation in gliomas: implications for treatment strategies

Gliomas are one of the most common primary malignant tumours of the central nervous system (CNS), of which glioblastomas (GBMs) are the most common and destructive type. The glioma tumour microenvironment (TME) has unique characteristics, such as hypoxia, the blood-brain barrier (BBB), reactive oxygen species (ROS) and tumour neovascularization. Therefore, the traditional treatment effect is limited. As cellular oxidative metabolites, ROS not only promote the occurrence and development of gliomas but also affect immune cells in the immune microenvironment. In contrast, either too high or too low ROS levels are detrimental to the survival of glioma cells, which indicates the threshold of ROS. Therefore, an in-depth understanding of the mechanisms of ROS production and scavenging, the threshold of ROS, and the role of ROS in the glioma TME can provide new methods and strategies for glioma treatment. Current methods to increase ROS include photodynamic therapy (PDT), sonodynamic therapy (SDT), and chemodynamic therapy (CDT), etc., and methods to eliminate ROS include the ingestion of antioxidants. Increasing/scavenging ROS is potentially applicable treatment, and further studies will help to provide more effective strategies for glioma treatment.

Breaking barriers: exploring mechanisms behind opening the blood-brain barrier

The blood-brain barrier (BBB) is a selectively permeable membrane that separates the bloodstream from the brain. While useful for protecting neural tissue from harmful substances, brain-related diseases are difficult to treat due to this barrier, as it also limits the efficacy of drug delivery. To address this, promising new approaches for enhancing drug delivery are based on disrupting the BBB using physical means, including optical/photothermal therapy, electrical stimulation, and acoustic/mechanical stimulation. These physical mechanisms can temporarily and locally open the BBB, allowing drugs and other substances to enter. Focused ultrasound is particularly promising, with the ability to focus energies to targeted, deep-brain regions. In this review, we examine recent advances in physical approaches for temporary BBB disruption, describing their underlying mechanisms as well as evaluating the utility of these physical approaches with regard to their potential risks and limitations. While these methods have demonstrated efficacy in disrupting the BBB, their safety, comparative efficacy, and practicality for clinical use remain an ongoing topic of research.

Mechanisms of phototherapy of Alzheimer's disease during sleep and wakefulness: the role of the meningeal lymphatics

With the increase in the aging population, the global number of people with Alzheimer's disease (AD) progressively increased worldwide. The situation is aggravated by the fact that there is no the effective pharmacological therapy of AD. Photobiomodulation (PBM) is non-pharmacological approach that has shown very promising results in the therapy of AD in pilot clinical and animal studies. However, the mechanisms of therapeutic effects of PBM for AD are poorly understood. In this study on mice, we demonstrate that photodynamic effects of 5-aminolevulenic acid and laser 635 nm cause reduction of network of the meningeal lymphatic vessels (MLVs) leading to suppression of lymphatic removal of beta-amyloid (Aβ) from the right lateral ventricle and the hippocampus. Using the original protocol of PBM under electroencephalographic monitoring of wakefulness and sleep stages in non-anesthetized mice, we discover that the 7-day course of PBM during deep sleep vs. wakefulness provides better restoration of clearance of Aβ from the ventricular system of the brain and the hippocampus. Our results shed light on the mechanism of PBM and show the stimulating effects of PBM on the brain lymphatic drainage that promotes transport of Aβ via the lymphatic pathway. The effects of PBM on the brain lymphatics in sleeping brain open a new niche in the study of restorative functions of sleep as well as it is an important informative platform for the development of innovative smart sleep technologies for the therapy of AD.

Systematic Review of Photodynamic Therapy in Gliomas

Over the last 20 years, gliomas have made up over 89% of malignant CNS tumor cases in the American population (NIH SEER). Within this, glioblastoma is the most common subtype, comprising 57% of all glioma cases. Being highly aggressive, this deadly disease is known for its high genetic and phenotypic heterogeneity, rendering a complicated disease course. The current standard of care consists of maximally safe tumor resection concurrent with chemoradiotherapy. However, despite advances in technology and therapeutic modalities, rates of disease recurrence are still high and survivability remains low. Given the delicate nature of the tumor location, remaining margins following resection often initiate disease recurrence. Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a therapeutic modality that, following the administration of a non-toxic photosensitizer, induces tumor-specific anti-cancer effects after localized, wavelength-specific illumination. Its effect against malignant glioma has been studied extensively over the last 30 years, in pre-clinical and clinical trials. Here, we provide a comprehensive review of the three generations of photosensitizers alongside their mechanisms of action, limitations, and future directions.

Photodynamic Therapy for Glioblastoma: Illuminating the Path toward Clinical Applicability

Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most common adult brain cancer. Despite extensive treatment protocols comprised of maximal surgical resection and adjuvant chemo-radiation, all glioblastomas recur and are eventually fatal. Emerging as a novel investigation for GBM treatment, photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a light-based modality that offers spatially and temporally specific delivery of anti-cancer therapy with limited systemic toxicity, making it an attractive option to target GBM cells remaining beyond the margins of surgical resection. Prior PDT approaches in GBM have been predominantly based on 5-aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA), a systemically administered drug that is metabolized only in cancer cells, prompting the release of reactive oxygen species (ROS), inducing tumor cell death via apoptosis. Hence, this review sets out to provide an overview of current PDT strategies, specifically addressing both the potential and shortcomings of 5-ALA as the most implemented photosensitizer. Subsequently, the challenges that impede the clinical translation of PDT are thoroughly analyzed, considering relevant gaps in the current PDT literature, such as variable uptake of 5-ALA by tumor cells, insufficient tissue penetrance of visible light, and poor oxygen recovery in 5-ALA-based PDT. Finally, novel investigations with the potential to improve the clinical applicability of PDT are highlighted, including longitudinal PDT delivery, photoimmunotherapy, nanoparticle-linked photosensitizers, and near-infrared radiation. The review concludes with commentary on clinical trials currently furthering the field of PDT for GBM. Ultimately, through addressing barriers to clinical translation of PDT and proposing solutions, this review provides a path for optimizing PDT as a paradigm-shifting treatment for GBM.

Exosomes: Promising Delivery Tools for Overcoming Blood-Brain Barrier and Glioblastoma Therapy

Gliomas make up virtually 80% of all lethal primary brain tumors and are categorized based on their cell of origin. Glioblastoma is an astrocytic tumor that has an inferior prognosis despite the ongoing advances in treatment modalities. One of the main reasons for this shortcoming is the presence of the blood-brain barrier and blood-brain tumor barrier. Novel invasive and non-invasive drug delivery strategies for glioblastoma have been developed to overcome both the intact blood-brain barrier and leverage the disrupted nature of the blood-brain tumor barrier to target cancer cells after resection-the first treatment stage of glioblastoma. Exosomes are among non-invasive drug delivery methods and have emerged as a natural drug delivery vehicle with high biological barrier penetrability. There are various exosome isolation methods from different origins, and the intended use of the exosomes and starting materials defines the choice of isolation technique. In the present review, we have given an overview of the structure of the blood-brain barrier and its disruption in glioblastoma. This review provided a comprehensive insight into novel passive and active drug delivery techniques to overcome the blood-brain barrier, emphasizing exosomes as an excellent emerging drug, gene, and effective molecule delivery vehicle used in glioblastoma therapy.

Drug Permeability: From the Blood-Brain Barrier to the Peripheral Nerve Barriers

Drug delivery into the peripheral nerves and nerve roots has important implications for effective local anesthesia and treatment of peripheral neuropathies and chronic neuropathic pain. Similar to drugs that need to cross the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and blood-spinal cord barrier (BSCB) to gain access to the central nervous system (CNS), drugs must cross the peripheral nerve barriers (PNB), formed by the perineurium and blood-nerve barrier (BNB) to modulate peripheral axons. Despite significant progress made to develop effective strategies to enhance BBB permeability in therapeutic drug design, efforts to enhance drug permeability and retention in peripheral nerves and nerve roots are relatively understudied. Guided by knowledge describing structural, molecular and functional similarities between restrictive neural barriers in the CNS and peripheral nervous system (PNS), we hypothesize that certain CNS drug delivery strategies are adaptable for peripheral nerve drug delivery. In this review, we describe the molecular, structural and functional similarities and differences between the BBB and PNB, summarize and compare existing CNS and peripheral nerve drug delivery strategies, and discuss the potential application of selected CNS delivery strategies to improve efficacious drug entry for peripheral nerve disorders.

Low-Level Laser Treatment Induces the Blood-Brain Barrier Opening and the Brain Drainage System Activation: Delivery of Liposomes into Mouse Glioblastoma

The progress in brain diseases treatment is limited by the blood-brain barrier (BBB), which prevents delivery of the vast majority of drugs from the blood into the brain. In this study, we discover unknown phenomenon of opening of the BBBB (BBBO) by low-level laser treatment (LLLT, 1268 nm) in the mouse cortex. LLLT-BBBO is accompanied by activation of the brain drainage system contributing effective delivery of liposomes into glioblastoma (GBM). The LLLT induces the generation of singlet oxygen without photosensitizers (PSs) in the blood endothelial cells and astrocytes, which can be a trigger mechanism of BBBO. LLLT-BBBO causes activation of the ABC-transport system with a temporal decrease in the expression of tight junction proteins. The BBB recovery is accompanied by activation of neuronal metabolic activity and stabilization of the BBB permeability. LLLT-BBBO can be used as a new opportunity of interstitial PS-free photodynamic therapy (PDT) for modulation of brain tumor immunity and improvement of immuno-therapy for GBM in infants in whom PDT with PSs, radio- and chemotherapy are strongly limited, as well as in adults with a high allergic reaction to PSs.

Photodynamic Opening of the Blood-Brain Barrier and the Meningeal Lymphatic System: The New Niche in Immunotherapy for Brain Tumors

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a promising add-on therapy to the current standard of care for patients with glioblastoma (GBM). The traditional explanation of the anti-cancer PDT effects involves the PDT-induced generation of a singlet oxygen in the GBM cells, which causes tumor cell death and microvasculature collapse. Recently, new vascular mechanisms of PDT associated with opening of the blood-brain barrier (OBBB) and the activation of functions of the meningeal lymphatic vessels have been discovered. In this review, we highlight the emerging trends and future promises of immunotherapy for brain tumors and discuss PDT-OBBB as a new niche and an important informative platform for the development of innovative pharmacological strategies for the modulation of brain tumor immunity and the improvement of immunotherapy for GBM.

Opening the Blood Brain Barrier with an Electropermanent Magnet System

Opening the blood brain barrier (BBB) under imaging guidance may be useful for the treatment of many brain disorders. Rapidly applied magnetic fields have the potential to generate electric fields in brain tissue that, if properly timed, may enable safe and effective BBB opening. By tuning magnetic pulses generated by a novel electropermanent magnet (EPM) array, we demonstrate the opening of tight junctions in a BBB model culture in vitro, and show that induced monophasic electrical pulses are more effective than biphasic ones. We confirmed, with in vivo contrast-enhanced MRI, that the BBB can be opened with monophasic pulses. As electropermanent magnets have demonstrated efficacy at tuning B0 fields for magnetic resonance imaging studies, our results suggest the possibility of implementing an EPM-based hybrid theragnostic device that could both image the brain and enhance drug transport across the BBB in a single sitting.

Effects of Sound Interventions on the Permeability of the Blood-Brain Barrier and Meningeal Lymphatic Clearance

The meningeal lymphatic, or glymphatic, system is receiving increasing attention from the scientific community. Recent work includes noninvasive techniques to demonstrate relationships between blood-brain barrier (BBB) activity and the glymphatic system in the human central nervous system. One potential technique is the use of music/sound to enhance BBB permeability regarding the movement of small molecules in and out of the brain. However, there is minimal knowledge regarding the methodical investigation(s) of the uses of music/sound on BBB permeability and glymphatic clearance and the outcomes of these investigation(s). This review contains evidence discussing relationships between music/sound, BBB permeability, and meningeal lymphatic clearance. An overview of the anatomy and physiology of the system is presented. We discuss the uses of music/sound to modulate brain and body functions, highlighting music's effects on mood and autonomic, cognitive, and neuronal function. We also propose implications for follow-up work. The results showed that music and sound interventions do, in fact, contribute to the opening of the BBB and subsequently increase the function of the meningeal lymphatic system. Evidence also suggests that music/sound has the ability to reduce the collateral effects of brain injuries. Unfortunately, music/sound is rarely used in the clinical setting as a medical intervention. Still, recent research shows the potential positive impacts that music/sound could have on various organ systems.

Development of Novel Therapeutics Targeting the Blood-Brain Barrier: From Barrier to Carrier

The blood-brain barrier (BBB) is a highly specialized neurovascular unit, initially described as an intact barrier to prevent toxins, pathogens, and potentially harmful substances from entering the brain. An intact BBB is also critical for the maintenance of normal neuronal function. In cerebral vascular diseases and neurological disorders, the BBB can be disrupted, contributing to disease progression. While restoration of BBB integrity serves as a robust biomarker of better clinical outcomes, the restrictive nature of the intact BBB presents a major hurdle for delivery of therapeutics into the brain. Recent studies show that the BBB is actively engaged in crosstalk between neuronal and the circulatory systems, which defines another important role of the BBB: as an interfacing conduit that mediates communication between two sides of the BBB. This role has been subject to extensive investigation for brain-targeted drug delivery and shows promising results. The dual roles of the BBB make it a unique target for drug development. Here, recent developments and novel strategies to target the BBB for therapeutic purposes are reviewed, from both barrier and carrier perspectives.

Photodynamic Priming Modulates Endothelial Cell-Cell Junction Phenotype for Light-activated Remote Control of Drug Delivery

The blood-brain barrier (BBB) remains a major obstacle for drug delivery to the central nervous system. In particular, the tight and adherens junctions that join the brain capillary endothelial cells limit the diffusion of various molecules from the bloodstream into the brain. Photodynamic priming (PDP) is a non-cytotoxic modality that involves light activation of photosensitizers to photochemically modulate nearby molecules without killing the cells. Here we investigate the effects of sub-lethal photochemistry on junction phenotype (i.e., continuous, punctate, or perpendicular), as well as the BBB permeability in a transwell model of human brain microvascular endothelial cells (HBMECs). We showed that PDP decreases the continuous junction architecture by ~20%, increases the perpendicular junction architecture by ~40%, and has minimal impact on cell morphology in HBMECs. Furthermore, transwell permeability assay revealed that PDP improves the HBMEC permeability to dextran or nanoliposomes by up to 30-fold for 6-9 days. These results suggest that PDP could safely reverse the mature brain endothelial junctions without killing the HBMECs. This study not only emphasizes the critical roles of PDP in the modulation junction phenotype, but also highlights the opportunity to further develop PDP-based combinations that opens the cerebrum endothelium for enhanced drug transporter across the BBB.

Singlet oxygen stimulates mitochondrial bioenergetics in brain cells

Oxygen, in form of reactive oxygen species (ROS), has been shown to participate in oxidative stress, one of the major triggers for pathology, but also is a main contributor to physiological processes. Recently, it was found that 1267 nm irradiation can produce singlet oxygen without photosensitizers. We used this phenomenon to study the effect of laser-generated singlet oxygen on one of the major oxygen-dependent processes, mitochondrial energy metabolism. We have found that laser-induced generation of ¹O₂ in neurons and astrocytes led to the increase of mitochondrial membrane potential, activation of NADH- and FADH-dependent respiration, and importantly, increased the rate of maximal respiration in isolated mitochondria. The activation of mitochondrial respiration stimulated production of ATP in these cells. Thus, we found that the singlet oxygen generated by 1267 nm laser pulse works as an activator of mitochondrial respiration and ATP production in the brain.

Mechanisms of Sound-Induced Opening of the Blood-Brain Barrier

The blood-brain barrier (BBB) poses a significant challenge for drug delivery to the brain. The limitations of our knowledge about the nature of BBB explain the slow progress in the therapy of brain diseases and absence of methods for drug delivery to the brain in clinical practice. Here, we show that the BBB opens for high-molecular-weight compounds after exposure to loud sound (100 dB 370 Hz) in rats. The role of stress induced by loud sound and the systemic and molecular mechanisms behind it are discussed in the framework of the BBB. This opens an informative platform for novel fundamental knowledge about the nature of BBB and for the development of a noninvasive brain drug delivery technology.

Understanding the glioblastoma tumor biology to optimize photodynamic therapy: From molecular to cellular events

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) has recently gained attention as an alternative treatment of malignant gliomas. Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most prevalent within tumors of the central nervous system (CNS). Conventional treatments for this CNS tumor include surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy. Surgery is still being considered as the treatment of choice. Even so, the poor prognosis and/or recurrence of the disease after applying any of these treatments highlight the urgency of exploring new therapies and/or improving existing ones to achieve the definitive eradication of tumor masses and remaining cells. PDT is a therapeutic modality that involves the destruction of tumor cells by reactive oxygen species induced by light, which were previously treated with a photosensitizing agent. However, in recent years, its experimental application has expanded to other effects that could improve overall performance against GBM. In the current review, we revisit the main advances of PDT for GBM management and also, the recent mechanistic insights about cellular and molecular aspects related to tumoral resistance to PDT of GBM.

Saporin from Saponaria officinalis as a Tool for Experimental Research, Modeling, and Therapy in Neuroscience

Saporin, which is extracted from Saponaria officinalis, is a protein toxin that inactivates ribosomes. Saporin itself is non-selective toxin but acquires high specificity after conjugation with different ligands such as signaling peptides or antibodies to some surface proteins expressed in a chosen cell subpopulation. The saporin-based conjugated toxins were widely adopted in neuroscience as a convenient tool to induce highly selective degeneration of desired cell subpopulation. Induction of selective cell death is one of approaches used to model neurodegenerative diseases, study functions of certain cell subpopulations in the brain, and therapy. Here, we review studies where saporin-based conjugates were used to analyze cell mechanisms of sleep, general anesthesia, epilepsy, pain, and development of Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s diseases. Limitations and future perspectives of use of saporin-based toxins in neuroscience are discussed.

Blood-Brain Barrier, Blood-Brain Tumor Barrier, and Fluorescence-Guided Neurosurgical Oncology: Delivering Optical Labels to Brain Tumors

Recent advances in maximum safe glioma resection have included the introduction of a host of visualization techniques to complement intraoperative white-light imaging of tumors. However, barriers to the effective use of these techniques within the central nervous system remain. In the healthy brain, the blood-brain barrier ensures the stability of the sensitive internal environment of the brain by protecting the active functions of the central nervous system and preventing the invasion of microorganisms and toxins. Brain tumors, however, often cause degradation and dysfunction of this barrier, resulting in a heterogeneous increase in vascular permeability throughout the tumor mass and outside it. Thus, the characteristics of both the blood-brain and blood-brain tumor barriers hinder the vascular delivery of a variety of therapeutic substances to brain tumors. Recent developments in fluorescent visualization of brain tumors offer improvements in the extent of maximal safe resection, but many of these fluorescent agents must reach the tumor via the vasculature. As a result, these fluorescence-guided resection techniques are often limited by the extent of vascular permeability in tumor regions and by the failure to stain the full volume of tumor tissue. In this review, we describe the structure and function of both the blood-brain and blood-brain tumor barriers in the context of the current state of fluorescence-guided imaging of brain tumors. We discuss features of currently used techniques for fluorescence-guided brain tumor resection, with an emphasis on their interactions with the blood-brain and blood-tumor barriers. Finally, we discuss a selection of novel preclinical techniques that have the potential to enhance the delivery of therapeutics to brain tumors in spite of the barrier properties of the brain.

Tight junction modulation at the blood-brain barrier: Current and future perspectives

The blood-brain barrier (BBB) is the one of the most robust physical barriers in the body, comprised of tight junction (TJ) proteins in brain microvascular endothelial cells. The need for drugs to treat central nervous systems diseases is ever increasing, however the presence of the BBB significantly hampers the uptake of drugs into the brain. To overcome or circumvent the barrier, many kinds of techniques are being developed. Modulating the paracellular route by disruption of the TJ complex has been proposed as a potential drug delivery system to treat brain diseases, however, it has several limitations and is still in a developmental stage. However, recent significant advance in medical equipment /tools such as targeted ultra-sound technologies may resolve these limitations. In this review, we introduce recent advances in site- or molecular size-selective BBB disruption/modulation technologies and we include details on pharmacological inhibitory molecules against intercellular TJ proteins to modulate the BBB.

Lipid nanocapsules to enhance drug bioavailability to the central nervous system

The central nervous system (CNS), namely the brain, still remains as the hardest area of the human body to achieve adequate concentration levels of most drugs, mainly due to the limiting behavior of its physical and biological defenses. Lipid nanocapsules emerge as a versatile platform to tackle those barriers, and efficiently delivery different drug payloads due to their numerous advantages. They can be produced in a fast, solvent-free and scalable-up process, and their properties can be fine-tuned for to make an optimal brain drug delivery vehicle. Moreover, lipid nanocapsule surface modification can further improve their bioavailability towards the central nervous system. Coupling these features with alternative delivery methods that stem to disrupt or fully circumvent the blood-brain barrier may fully harness the therapeutic advance that lipid nanocapsules can supply to current treatment options. Thus, this review intends to critically address the development of lipid nanocapsules, as well as to highlight the key features that can be modulated to ameliorate their properties towards the central nervous system delivery, mainly through intravenous methods, and how the pathological microenvironment of the CNS can be taken advantage of. The different routes to promote drug delivery towards the brain parenchyma are also discussed, as well as the synergetic effect that can be obtained by combining modified lipid nanocapsules with new/smart administration routes.

Application of photodynamic therapy drugs for management of glioma

Human gliomas are one of the most prevalent and challenging-to-treat adult brain tumors, and thus result in high morbidity and mortality rates worldwide. Current research and treatments of gliomas include surgery associated with conventional chemotherapy, use of biologicals, radiotherapy, and medical device applications. The selected treatment options are often guided by the category and aggressiveness of this deadly disease and the patient’s conditions. However, the effectiveness of these approaches is still limited due to poor drug efficacy (including delivery to desired sites), undesirable side effects, and high costs associated with therapies. In addition, the degree of leakiness of the blood–brain barrier (BBB) that regulates trafficking of molecules in and out of the brain also modulates accumulation of adequate drug levels to tumor sites. Active research is being pursued to overcome these limitations to obtain a superior therapeutic index and enhanced patient survival. One area of development in this direction focuses on the localized application of photodynamic therapy (PDT) drugs to cure brain cancers. PDT molecules potentially utilize multiple pathways based on their ability to generate reactive oxygen species (ROS) upon photoactivation by a suitable light source. In this communication, we have attempted to provide a brief overview of PDT and cancer, photoactivation pathways, mechanism of tumor destruction, effect of PDT on tumor cell viability, immune activation, various research attempted by applying PDT in combination with novel strategies to treat glioma, role of BBB and clinical status of PDT therapy for glioma treatment.

Photodynamic Opening of the Blood–Brain Barrier Using Different Photosensitizers in Mice

In a series of previous studies, we demonstrated that the photodynamic therapy (PDT), as a widely used tool for treatment of glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), also site-specifically opens the blood–brain barrier (BBB) in PDT-dose and age-related manner via reversible disorganization of the tight junction machinery. To develop the effective protocol of PDT-opening of the BBB, here we answer the question of what kind of photosensitizer (PS) is the most effective for the BBB opening. We studied the PDT-opening of the BBB in healthy mice using commercial photosensitizers (PSs) such as 5-aminolevulenic acid (5-ALA), aluminum phthalocyanine disulfonate (AlPcS), zinc phthalocyanine (ZnPc) and new synthetized PSs such as galactose functionalized ZnPc (GalZnPc). The spectrofluorimetric assay of Evans Blue albumin complex (EBAC) leakage and 3-D confocal imaging of FITC-dextran 70 kDa (FITCD) extravasation clearly shows a revisable and dose depended PDT-opening of the BBB to EBAC and FITCD associated with a decrease in presence of tight junction (TJ) in the vascular endothelium. The PDT effects on the BBB permeability, TJ expression and the fluorescent signal from the brain tissues are more pronounced in PDT-GalZnPc vs. PDT-5-ALA/AlPcS/ZnPc. These pre-clinical data are the first important informative platform for an optimization of the PDT protocol in the light of new knowledge about PDT-opening of the BBB for drug brain delivery and for the therapy of brain diseases.

Optimization of sapphire capillary needles for interstitial and percutaneous laser medicine

Sapphire capillary needles fabricated by edge-defined film-fed growth (EFG) technique hold strong potential in laser thermotherapy and photodynamic therapy, thanks to the advanced physical properties of sapphire. These needles feature an as-grown optical quality, their length is tens of centimeters, and they contain internal capillary channels, with open or closed ends. They can serve as optically transparent bearing elements with optical fibers introduced into their capillary channels in order to deliver laser radiation to biological tissues for therapeutic and, in some cases, diagnostic purposes. A potential advantage of the EFG-grown sapphire needles is associated with an ability to form the tip of a needle with complex geometry, either as-grown or mechanically treated, aimed at controlling the output radiation pattern. In order to examine a potential of the radiation pattern shaping, we present a set of fabricated sapphire needles with different tips. We studied the radiation patterns formed at the output of these needles using a He-Ne laser as a light source, and used intralipid-based tissue phantoms to proof the concept experimentally and the Monte-Carlo modeling to proof it numerically. The observed results demonstrate a good agreement between the numerical and experimental data and reveal an ability to control within wide limits the direction of tissue exposure to light and the amount of exposed tissue by managing the sapphire needle tip geometry.

The Dark Side: Photosensitizer Prodrugs

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) and photodiagnosis (PD) are essential approaches in the field of biophotonics. Ideally, both modalities require the selective sensitization of the targeted disease in order to avoid undesired phenomena such as the destruction of healthy tissue, skin photosensitization, or mistaken diagnosis. To a large extent, the occurrence of these incidents can be attributed to “background” accumulation in non-target tissue. Therefore, an ideal photoactive compound should be optically silent in the absence of disease, but bright in its presence. Such requirements can be fulfilled using innovative prodrug strategies targeting disease-associated alterations. Here we will summarize the elaboration, characterization, and evaluation of approaches using polymeric photosensitizer prodrugs, nanoparticles, micelles, and porphysomes. Finally, we will discuss the use of 5-aminolevulinc acid and its derivatives that are selectively transformed in neoplastic cells into photoactive protoporphyrin IX.

Quantitative Phenotyping of Cell-Cell Junctions to Evaluate ZO-1 Presentation in Brain Endothelial Cells

The selective permeability of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) is controlled by tight junction-expressing brain endothelial cells. The integrity of these junctional proteins, which anchor to actin via zonula occludens (e.g., ZO-1), plays a vital role in barrier function. While disrupted junctions are linked with several neurodegenerative diseases, the mechanisms underlying disruption are not fully understood. This is largely due to the lack of appropriate models and efficient techniques to quantify edge-localized protein. Here, we developed a novel junction analyzer program (JAnaP) to semi-automate the quantification of junctional protein presentation. Because significant evidence suggests a link between myosin-II mediated contractility and endothelial barrier properties, we used the JAnaP to investigate how biochemical and physical cues associated with altered contractility influence ZO-1 presentation in brain endothelial cells. Treatment with contractility-decreasing agents increased continuous ZO-1 presentation; however, this increase was greatest on soft gels of brain-relevant stiffness, suggesting improved barrier maturation. This effect was reversed by biochemically inhibiting protein phosphatases to increase cell contractility on soft substrates. These results promote the use of brain-mimetic substrate stiffness in BBB model design and motivates the use of this novel JAnaP to provide insight into the role of junctional protein presentation in BBB physiology and pathologies.

In vivo monitoring blood-brain barrier permeability using spectral imaging through optical clearing skull window

The blood-brain barrier (BBB) plays a key role in the health of the central nervous system. Opening the BBB is very important for drug delivery to brain tissues to enhance the therapeutic effect on brain diseases. It is necessary to in vivo monitor the BBB permeability for assessing drug release with high resolution; however, an effective method is lacking. In this work, we developed a new method that combined spectral imaging with an optical clearing skull window to in vivo dynamically monitor BBB opening caused by 5-aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA)-mediated photodynamic therapy (PDT), in which the Evans blue dye (EBd) acted as an indicator of the BBB permeability. Using this method, we effectively monitored the cerebrovascular EBd leakage process. Moreover, the analysis of changes in the vascular and extravascular EBd concentrations demonstrated that the PDT-induced BBB opening exhibited spatiotemporal differences in the cortex. This spectral imaging method based on the optical clearing skull window provides a low-cost and simply operated tool for in vivo monitoring BBB opening process. This has a high potential for the visualization of drug delivery to the central nervous system. Thus, it is of tremendous significance in brain disease therapy. Monitoring the changes in PDT-induced BBB permeability by evaluating the EBd concentration using an optical clearing skull window. (A) Entire brains and coronal sections following treatment of PDT with/without an optical clearing skull window after injection of EBd. (B) Typical EBd distribution maps before and after laser irradiation captured by the spectral imaging method. (Colorbar represents the EBd concentration).

Age differences in photodynamic therapy-mediated opening of the blood-brain barrier through the optical clearing skull window in mice

BACKGROUND

Photodynamic therapy (PDT), a minimally invasive therapeutic tool, has been an important option for post-surgical treatment of malignant gliomas (MGs) in both adult and young patients. Recent studies have shown that PDT can also open the blood-brain barrier (BBB). However, there are no optimized parameters of PDT for patients at different ages. To determine whether there are age differences in PDT effects on the BBB, we studied PDT-related BBB opening through the optical clearing skull window in healthy 4- and 8-week-old mice.

METHODS

In this work, we realized BBB opening by combining PDT with the optical clearing skull window by using different radiant exposures (635 nm, 10-20-30-40 J/cm² ) and 5-aminole-vulinic acid (5-ALA, 20 mg/kg). Then, we evaluated BBB permeability by: (i) spectrofluorimetric measuring of Evans Blue dye (EBd) leakage; (ii) confocal imaging of 70 kDa FITC-dextran extravasation and the BBB integrity; and (iii) histological analysis of brain tissues.

RESULTS

Using the skull optical clearing method, we demonstrated PDT-induced BBB opening to EBd and FITC-dextran in a radiant exposure manner. The histological analysis revealed the different severities of vasogenic edema corresponding to radiant exposures. Besides, the PDT-related increase in the BBB permeability to high weight molecules (EBd and FITC-dextran) and solutes (vasogenic edema) was more pronounced in 4-week-old mice than in 8-week-old mice.

CONCLUSIONS

The more pronounced PDT-induced BBB disruption in juvenile mice compared with adult mice suggests age differences in PDT-related BBB opening. This might be an important informative platform for a new application of PDT as a method for brain drug delivery, especially for post-surgical treatment of MGs. Lasers Surg. Med. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

5-aminolevulinic acid photodynamic therapy for the treatment of high-grade gliomas

INTRODUCTION

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a two-step treatment involving the administration of a photosensitive agent followed by its activation at a specific light wavelength for targeting of tumor cells.

MATERIALS/METHODS

A comprehensive review of the literature was performed to analyze the indications for PDT, mechanisms of action, use of different photosensitizers, the immunomodulatory effects of PDT, and both preclinical and clinical studies for use in high-grade gliomas (HGGs).

RESULTS

PDT has been approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of premalignant and malignant diseases, such as actinic keratoses, Barrett's esophagus, esophageal cancers, and endobronchial non-small cell lung cancers, as well as for the treatment of choroidal neovascularization. In neuro-oncology, clinical trials are currently underway to demonstrate PDT efficacy against a number of malignancies that include HGGs and other brain tumors. Both photosensitizers and photosensitizing precursors have been used for PDT. 5-aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA), an intermediate in the heme synthesis pathway, is a photosensitizing precursor with FDA approval for PDT of actinic keratosis and as an intraoperative imaging agent for fluorescence-guided visualization of malignant tissue during glioma surgery. New trials are underway to utilize 5-ALA as a therapeutic agent for PDT of the intraoperative resection cavity and interstitial PDT for inoperable HGGs.

CONCLUSION

PDT remains a promising therapeutic approach that requires further study in HGGs. Use of 5-ALA PDT permits selective tumor targeting due to the intracellular metabolism of 5-ALA. The immunomodulatory effects of PDT further strengthen its use for treatment of HGGs and requires a better understanding. The combination of PDT with adjuvant therapies for HGGs will need to be studied in randomized, controlled studies.

Blood⁻Brain Barrier, Lymphatic Clearance, and Recovery: Ariadne's Thread in Labyrinths of Hypotheses

The peripheral lymphatic system plays a crucial role in the recovery mechanisms after many pathological changes, such as infection, trauma, vascular, or metabolic diseases. The lymphatic clearance of different tissues from waste products, viruses, bacteria, and toxic proteins significantly contributes to the correspondent recovery processes. However, understanding of the cerebral lymphatic functions is a challenging problem. The exploration of mechanisms of lymphatic communication with brain fluids as well as the role of the lymphatic system in brain drainage, clearance, and recovery is still in its infancy. Here we review novel concepts on the anatomy and physiology of the lymphatics in the brain, which warrant a substantial revision of our knowledge about the role of lymphatics in the rehabilitation of the brain functions after neural pathologies. We discuss a new vision on the connective bridge between the opening of a blood–brain barrier and activation of the meningeal lymphatic clearance. The ability to stimulate the lymph flow in the brain, is likely to play an important role in developing future innovative strategies in neurorehabilitation therapy.

Functional Polymer Nanocarriers for Photodynamic Therapy

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is an appealing therapeutic modality in management of some solid tumors and other diseases for its minimal invasion and non-systemic toxicity. However, the hydrophobicity and non-selectivity of the photosensitizers, inherent serious hypoxia of tumor tissues and limited penetration depth of light restrict PDT further applications in clinic. Functional polymer nanoparticles can be used as a nanocarrier for accurate PDT. Here, we elucidate the mechanism and application of PDT in cancer treatments, and then review some strategies to administer the biodistribution and activation of photosensitizers (PSs) to ameliorate or utilize the tumor hypoxic microenvironment to enhance the photodynamic therapy effect.

Photodynamic opening of the blood-brain barrier to high weight molecules and liposomes through an optical clearing skull window

The photodynamic (PD) effect has been reported to be efficient for the opening of the blood-brain barrier (BBB), which provides a new informative platform for developing perspective strategies towards brain disease therapy and drug delivery. However, this method is usually performed via craniotomy due to high scattering of the turbid skull. In this work, we employed a newly-developed optical clearing skull window for investigating non-invasive PD-induced BBB opening to high weight molecules and 100-nm fluid-phase liposomes containing ganglioside GM1. The results demonstrated that the BBB permeability to the Evans blue albumin complex is related to laser doses. By in vivo two-photon imaging and ex vivo confocal imaging with specific markers of the BBB, we noticed PD-related extravasation of rhodamine-dextran and liposomes from the vessels into the brain parenchyma. The PD induced an increase in oxidative stress associated with mild hypoxia and changes in the expression of tight junction (CLND-5 and ZO-1) and adherens junction (VE-cadherin) proteins, which might be one of the mechanisms underlying the PD-related BBB opening for liposomes. Our experiments indicate that optical clearing skull window will be a promising tool for non-invasive PD-related BBB opening for high weight molecules and liposomes that provides a novel useful tool for brain drug delivery and treatment of brain diseases.

Designing in vitro Blood-Brain Barrier Models Reproducing Alterations in Brain Aging

Blood-brain barrier (BBB) modeling in vitro is a huge area of research covering study of intercellular communications and development of BBB, establishment of specific properties that provide controlled permeability of the barrier. Current approaches in designing new BBB models include development of new (bio) scaffolds supporting barriergenesis/angiogenesis and BBB integrity; use of methods enabling modulation of BBB permeability; application of modern analytical techniques for screening the transfer of metabolites, bio-macromolecules, selected drug candidates and drug delivery systems; establishment of 3D models; application of microfluidic technologies; reconstruction of microphysiological systems with the barrier constituents. Acceptance of idea that BBB in vitro models should resemble real functional activity of the barrier in different periods of ontogenesis and in different (patho) physiological conditions leads to proposal that establishment of BBB in vitro model with alterations specific for aging brain is one of current challenges in neurosciences and bioengineering. Vascular dysfunction in the aging brain often associates with leaky BBB, alterations in perivascular microenvironment, neuroinflammation, perturbed neuronal and astroglial activity within the neurovascular unit, impairments in neurogenic niches where microvascular scaffold plays a key regulatory role. The review article is focused on aging-related alterations in BBB and current approaches to development of “aging” BBB models in vitro.

Photodynamic opening of the blood-brain barrier and pathways of brain clearing

A new application of the photodynamic treatment (PDT) is presented for the opening of blood-brain barrier (BBB) and the brain clearing activation that is associated with it, including the use of gold nanoparticles as emerging photosensitizer carriers in PDT. The obtained results clearly demonstrate 2 pathways for the brain clearing: (1) using PDT-opening of BBB and intravenous injection of FITC-dextran we showed a clearance of this tracer via the meningeal lymphatic system in the subdural space; (2) using optical coherence tomography and intraparenchymal injection of gold nanorods, we observed their clearance through the exit gate of cerebral spinal fluid from the brain into the deep cervical lymph node, where the gold nanorods were accumulated. These data contribute to a better understanding of the cerebrovascular effects of PDT and shed light on mechanisms, underlying brain clearing after PDT-related opening of BBB, including clearance from nanoparticles as drug carriers.