title: Microbubble-enhanced ultrasound-mediated gene transfer--towards the development of targeted gene therapy for cancer.
abstract: Ultrasound-mediated gene transfer is emerging as a possible alternative to viral gene transfer, and pre-clinical data suggest that it may play a significant role in gene therapy-based approaches to the treatment of disease. As an extracorporeal stimulus, ultrasound can non-invasively and transiently compromise cell membrane permeability (sonoporation), thereby offering the promise of delivering either genes or oligonucleotide-based therapeutics to cells and tissues in a site-specific manner. The membrane-permeabilising effects of ultrasound can be greatly enhanced using microbubble preparations, many of which have, in the past, found application as ultrasound contrast agents. Because these ultrasound-responsive agents are highly amenable to surface modification it has been suggested that they may be exploited as ultrasound-responsive nucleic acid delivery vehicles. In this article we seek to explore the potential role ultrasound, in combination with microbubble-based agents, may play in providing site-specific gene therapy-based approaches for the treatment of cancer.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Ulster, Coleraine, County Derry, UK.
authors.forename: Nikolitsa
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Nomikou
authors.forename: Anthony P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: McHale
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D018014:Gene Transfer Techniques; D015316:Genetic Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D045423:Microbubbles; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy*; D014464:Ultrasonic Therapy