Therapeutic opportunities in biological responses of ultrasound.
The therapeutic benefits of several existing ultrasound-based therapies such as facilitated drug delivery, tumor ablation and thrombolysis derive largely from physical or mechanical effects. In contrast, ultrasound can also trigger various time-dependent biochemical responses in the exposed biological milieu. Several biological responses to ultrasound exposure have been previously described in the literature but only a handful of these provide therapeutic opportunities. These include the use of ultrasound for healing of soft tissues and bones, the use of ultrasound for inducing non-necrotic tumor atrophy as well as for potentiation of chemotherapeutic drugs, activation of the immune system, angiogenesis and suppression of phagocytosis. A review of these therapeutic opportunities is presented with particular emphasis on their mechanisms. Overall, this review presents the increasing importance of ultrasound's role as a biological sensitizer enabling novel therapeutic strategies.
Paliwal
Sumit
S
Department of Chemical Engineering, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA.
Mitragotri
Samir
S
D000818:Animals; D001861:Bone Regeneration / Q000502:physiology; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems / Q000295:instrumentation; D006487:Hemostasis; D006801:Humans; D007107:Immune System / Q000502:physiology; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy; D015912:Thrombolytic Therapy / Q000379:methods; D014464:Ultrasonic Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D014611:Vaccination / Q000379:methods; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000502:physiology