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Increasing oxygen tension in tumor tissue using ultrasound sensitive O2 microbubbles
Agnieszka Drzał1, Anthony Delalande2, Gabriela Dziurman1
1Jagiellonian University, Department of Biophysics and Cancer Biology, Kraków, Poland.
Free Radical Biology & Medicine
|November 10, 2022
Summary
Ultrasound-triggered oxygen microbubbles effectively increase tumor oxygen levels in vivo. This novel approach shows promise for enhancing cancer therapy without significant systemic toxicity.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Engineering
- Oncology
- Radiology
Background:
- Low tumor oxygenation (hypoxia) hinders cancer treatment efficacy and promotes tumor aggression.
- Existing strategies to improve tumor oxygenation have limited clinical success.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the stability and ultrasound-triggered oxygen release of phospholipid-coated oxygen microbubbles (OMB).
- To evaluate the in vitro and in vivo efficacy and safety of OMB for tumor oxygenation.
Main Methods:
- Phospholipid-coated oxygen microbubbles (OMB) were developed and characterized.
- In vitro and in vivo studies using murine tumors were conducted with EPR oximetry.
- Ultrasound pulse (UP) was used to trigger oxygen release from OMB.
Main Results:
- OMB demonstrated stability and ultrasound-responsive oxygen release in vitro, increasing pO2 by up to 150 mmHg.
- In vivo studies showed a significant tumor pO2 increase (up to 120 mmHg) after UP application.
- OMB treatment reduced HIF-1a and VEGF-A expression and showed no significant systemic toxicity.
Conclusions:
- Oxygen microbubbles (OMB) are a feasible method for effective and safe tumor oxygen delivery in vivo.
- This approach has the potential to improve the effectiveness of concurrent anticancer therapies.
