NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - In tumor-bearing mice, pulsed high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) enhances the local delivery and expression of systemically injected plasmid DNA, suggesting a potential role in gene therapy.
Dr. Victor Frenkel and colleagues from the National Institutes of Health Clinical Center in Bethesda, Maryland induced squamous cell carcinoma in both flanks of female mice. In each mouse, one tumor was exposed to pulsed HIFU while the second served as a control. Immediately following HIFU, they injected a solution containing a green fluorescent protein (GFP) reporter gene into the tail vein.
They report in the May issue of Radiology that “GFP expression was present in all sections of tumors that received ultrasound exposure but not in control tumors.”
A comparison of histologic sections from treated tumors with those from controls revealed “no destructive effects from ultrasound exposure,” they also report.
In a telephone interview with Reuters Health, Dr. Frenkel said: “This is just one more example of the manner in which we are using focused ultrasound to noninvasively target regions of the body in order to improve the uptake of any type of agent, whether it be DNA for gene therapy or chemotherapeutic or contrast agents. We’re also using it now to deliver clot-busting drugs to blood clots.”
“The big appeal,” he added, “is not only that it is non-invasive but that it is very generic,” effective for tumor-tissue or non-tumor tissue, and also for improving the delivery of other types of material.
Source: Radiology 2005;235:541-546. [ Google search on this article ]
MeSH Headings:Animal Diseases: Biological Therapy: Disease Models, Animal: Drug Therapy: Genetic Engineering: Genetic Techniques: Investigative Techniques: Neoplasms: Neoplasms by Histologic Type: Neoplasms, Glandular and Epithelial: Therapeutics: Gene Therapy: Drug Delivery Systems: Neoplasms, Squamous Cell: Analytical, Diagnostic and Therapeutic Techniques and Equipment: DiseasesCopyright © 2002 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of Reuters content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Reuters. Reuters shall not be liable for any errors or delays in the content, or for any actions taken in reliance thereon. Reuters and the Reuters sphere logo are registered trademarks and trademarks of the Reuters group of companies around the world.
