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An In vitro System to Gauge the Thrombolytic Efficacy of Histotripsy and a Lytic Drug
Published on: June 4, 2021
Photothrombolytics: A light-driven technology for the targeted lysis of thrombi
Basanta Acharya1, Caylie A McGlade2, Haifeng Yin3
1Division of Chemical Biology and Medicinal Chemistry, Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, United States.
None:
Occlusive blood clots remain a significant global health challenge and result in emergencies that are main causes of death and disability worldwide. Thrombolytic agents (including tissue plasminogen activator, tPA) are the only pharmacological means to dissolve blood clots. However, these drugs have modest efficacy and severe safety concerns persist. We have developed light-responsive tPA-loaded red blood cells (tPA-RBCsPhoto) to target thrombolytic activity at the site of a blood clot. Herein, we describe the use of light to control the release of tPA from engineered RBCs and the subsequent degradation of a blood clot ex vivo. Furthermore, we have employed this technology to restore blood flow to an occluded mouse artery in vivo using a targeted dose that is 25 times lower than conventional systemic tPA treatment.
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