Phase-shift nanoemulsions (PSNE) can be vaporized using high intensity focused ultrasound to enhance localized heating and improve thermal ablation in tumors. In this report, the preparation of stable PSNE with a narrow size distribution is described. Furthermore, the impact of vaporized PSNE on ultrasound-mediated ablation is demonstrated in tissue-mimicking phantoms.
High-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) is used clinically to thermally ablate tumors. To enhance localized heating and improve thermal ablation in tumors, lipid-coated perfluorocarbon droplets have been developed which can be vaporized by HIFU. The vasculature in many tumors is abnormally leaky due to their rapid growth, and nanoparticles are able to penetrate the fenestrations and passively accumulate within tumors. Thus, controlling the size of the droplets can result in better accumulation within tumors. In this report, the preparation of stable droplets in a phase-shift nanoemulsion (PSNE) with a narrow size distribution is described. PSNE were synthesized by sonicating a lipid solution in the presence of liquid perfluorocarbon. A narrow size distribution was obtained by extruding the PSNE multiple times using filters with pore sizes of 100 or 200 nm. The size distribution was measured over a 7-day period using dynamic light scattering. Polyacrylamide hydrogels containing PSNE were prepared for in vitro experiments. PSNE droplets in the hydrogels were vaporized with ultrasound and the resulting bubbles enhanced localized heating. Vaporized PSNE enables more rapid heating and also reduces the ultrasound intensity needed for thermal ablation. Thus, PSNE is expected to enhance thermal ablation in tumors, potentially improving therapeutic outcomes of HIFU-mediated thermal ablation treatments.
High-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) is used clinically to thermally ablate tumors.1 To enhance localized heating and improve thermal ablation in tumors, lipid-coated perfluorocarbon droplets have been developed which can be vaporized by HIFU. The vasculature in many tumors is abnormally leaky due to their rapid growth.2 Thus, nanoparticles are able to penetrate the fenestrations and passively accumulate within tumors, a process known as the enhanced permeability and retention (EPR) effect…
The authors have nothing to disclose.
This work was supported by a BU/CIMIT Applied Healthcare Engineering Predoctoral Fellowship, a National Science Foundation Broadening Participation Research Initiation Grant in Engineering (BRIGE), and the National Institutes of Health (R21EB0094930).
Common Name | Manufacturer | Cat. Number | Full Name / Description |
DPPC | Avanti Lipids, Alabaster, AL, USA | 850355P | 1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine |
DSPE-PEG2000 | Avanti Lipids, Alabaster, AL, USA | 880120P | 1,2-distearoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine-N-[methoxy(polyethylene glycol)-2000] (ammonium salt) |
DDFP | Fluoromed, Round Rock, TX, USA | CAS: 138495-42-8 | Dodecafluoropentane (C5F12) |
PBS | Sigma-Aldrich, St. Louis, MO, USA | P2194 | Phosphate-buffered saline |
Chloroform | Sigma-Aldrich, St. Louis, MO, USA | 372978 | Chloroform |
Acrylamide | Sigma-Aldrich, St. Louis, MO, USA | A9926 | 40% 19:1 acrylamide/bis-acrylamide |
Tris buffer | Sigma-Aldrich, St. Louis, MO, USA | T2694 | 1M, pH 8, trizma hydrochloride and trizma base |
BSA | Sigma-Aldrich, St. Louis, MO, USA | A3059 | Bovine serum albumin |
APS | Sigma-Aldrich, St. Louis, MO, USA | A3678 | Ammonium persulfate solution |
TEMED | Sigma-Aldrich, St. Louis, MO, USA | 87689 | N,N,N’,N’-Tetramethylethylenediamine |
Equipment | |||
Sonicator (3 mm tip) | Sonics & Materials, Inc., Newtown, CT, USA | Vibra-Cell | |
Water bath | Thermo Fisher Scientific, Waltham, MA, USA | Neslab EX-7 | |
Extruder | Northern Lipids, Burnaby, BC, Canada | LIPEX | |
Extruder Filters | Whatman, Piscataway, NJ, USA | Nuclepore #110605 and #110606 | |
Extruder Drain Disc | Sterlitech Corporation, Kent, WA, USA | #PETEDD25100 | |
Plastic chamber | U.S. Plastic Corporation, Lima, OH, USA | #55288, 1 3/16″x1 3/16″x2 7/16″ |