[Optimization of acoustic parameters of microbubble-enhanced ultrasound sonoporation for augmenting tumor cell permeability in vivo].
OBJECTIVE
To explore the appropriate acoustic parameters for augmenting the permeability of tumor cells using microbubble-enhanced ultrasound.


METHODS
Ninety intramuscular VX2 tumors grown in New Zealand white rabbits were randomly divided into 4 parts by 4 factors, namely sound intensity, pulse width, insonation time and microbubble dose, each at different levels. Therapeutic ultrasound was delivered directly to the tumor surface during intravenous infusion of microbubbles. The tumor was excised after the treatment and sliced to investigate the change in tumor cell permeability using lanthanum nitrate electron microscopy. The appropriate acoustic parameters of the 4 factors were investigated.


RESULTS
Sonoporation induced by microbubble-enhanced ultrasound augmented the permeability of the tumor cells, and the appropriate sound intensity, pulse width, insonation time and microbubble dose were 0.43 W/cm(2), 2.42 ms, 10 min, and 0.50 ml/kg, respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
Sonoporation induced by microbubble-enhanced ultrasound can induce pores in tumor cell membrane, which may potential increase the efficacy of tumor chemotherapy.
Department of Ultrasound, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China.E-mail: luolhs@sina.com.
Lihong
L
Luo
Fenglin
F
Wu
Baoping
B
Wang
Tingting
T
Xu
Jie
J
Hu
Yang
Y
Sui
D000162:Acoustics; D000818:Animals; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002463:Cell Membrane Permeability; D045423:Microbubbles; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy*; D011817:Rabbits; D014464:Ultrasonic Therapy; D014465:Ultrasonics