New development and application of ultrasound targeted microbubble destruction in gene therapy and drug delivery.

Ultrasound is a common used technique for clinical imaging. In recent years, with the advances in preparation technology of microbubbles and the innovations in ultrasound imaging, ultrasound is no longer confined to detection of tissue perfusion, but extends to specific ultrasound molecular imaging and target therapy gradually. With the development of research, ultrasound molecular imaging and target therapy have made great progresses.

Optimization and apoptosis induction by RNAi with UTMD technology in vitro.

Apoptosis induction by short hairpin RNA (shRNA) expression vectors may be an efficient and promising strategy for cancer gene therapy. Ultrasound-targeted microbubble destruction (UTMD) is an appealing technique; however, there few data are available to demonstrate the feasibility and to optimize the methodology for this technology. The aim of this study was to optimize this technique and to elucidate the effects on gene inhibition and apoptosis induction in vitro.

Enhancing microRNA transfection to inhibit survivin gene expression and induce apoptosis: could it be mediated by a novel combination of sonoporation and polyethylenimine?

Apoptosis is a physiologically essential mechanism of cell and plays an important role in reducing the development and progression of tumors. The appealing strategy for cancer therapy is to target the lesions that induce apoptosis in cancer cells. Survivin, the smallest member of the mammalian inhibitors of the apoptosis protein family, is upregulated in various malignancies to protect cells from apoptosis.

Augmentation of transgenic expression by ultrasound‑mediated liposome microbubble destruction.

Non-invasive, efficient and tissue-specific transgenic technologies could be valuable in gene therapy. Although non-viral carriers may be safer and cheaper, they have a much lower transfection efficiency than viral gene carriers. The present study was designed to test the transgenic expression and safety of red fluorescent protein (RFP) in HeLa cells in vitro and in transplanted tumors of nude mice in vivo under ultrasound-mediated liposome microbubble destruction (UMLMD) conditions.

Ultrasound- and liposome microbubble-mediated targeted gene transfer to cardiomyocytes in vivo accompanied by polyethylenimine.

Objectives: Gene transfer to cardiomyocytes in vivo has received much research attention in the last decade but remains a substantial hurdle. Gene transfer using ultrasound-targeted microbubble destruction is a promising tool for gene therapy. Little data have shown the feasibility and optimization of this method for primary myocardial disease.

Targeted gene delivery in tumor xenografts by the combination of ultrasound-targeted microbubble destruction and polyethylenimine to inhibit survivin gene expression and induce apoptosis.

Background: Noninvasive and tissue-specific technologies of gene transfection would be valuable in clinical gene therapy. This present study was designed to determine whether it could enhance gene transfection in vivo by the combination of ultrasound-targeted microbubble destruction (UTMD) with polyethylenimine (PEI) in tumor xenografts, and illuminate the effects of gene silencing and apoptosis induction with short hairpin RNA (shRNA) interference therapy targeting human survivin by this novel technique.

Methods: Two different expression vectors (pCMV-LUC and pSIREN) were incubated with PEI to prepare cationic complexes (PEI/DNA) and confirmed by the gel retardation assay.