title: Effects of ultrasound-targeted microbubble destruction on cardiac gene expression.
abstract: Ultrasound (US) contrast agents are increasingly used in diagnostic echocardiography. Recent studies have suggested unanticipated effects of microbubble destruction. This study was designed to evaluate gene regulation caused by US-mediated destruction of microbubbles in the heart. During IV infusion of Optison trade mark, triggered US was applied to rat hearts to destroy microbubbles. A control group received only saline and US. RNA was isolated from hearts 24 and 72 h after treatment. Analysis with a deeply representative murine cardiac-specific microarray was used to identify regulated genes. Real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was then applied to verify regulated genes. Microarray analysis revealed only 5 regulated genes in the 24-h group and 4 in the 72-h group. Of these genes, only carbonic anhydrase was significantly upregulated in the 24-h Optison trade mark group (4.3 fold; p = 0.0005) when examined in individual animals by real-time PCR. By this very sensitive technique, the bioeffects of microbubble destruction are negligible.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA.
authors.forename: Raffi
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bekeredjian
authors.forename: Shuyuan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Wentong
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Pan
authors.forename: Paul A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Grayburn
authors.forename: Ralph V
authors.initials: RV
authors.lastname: Shohet
mesh_terms: D000418:Albumins / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000818:Animals; D003287:Contrast Media / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004452:Echocardiography; D005466:Fluorocarbons / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000235:genetics*; D006321:Heart; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous; D045423:Microbubbles; D020411:Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis / Q000379:methods; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D014465:Ultrasonics
chemical_list: D000418:Albumins; D003287:Contrast Media; C099458:FS 069; D005466:Fluorocarbons