Safe focused ultrasound-mediated blood-brain barrier opening is driven primarily by transient reorganization of tight junctions
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ABSTRACT:
ORGANISM(S): Mus musculus
PROVIDER: GSE253425 | GEO | 2026/01/01
REPOSITORIES: GEO
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Project description:Ultrasound-induced opening of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) is an emerging technique for targeted drug delivery to the central nervous system. Gap junctions allow transfer of information between adjacent cells and are responsible for tissue homeostasis. We examined the effect of ultrasound-induced BBB opening on the structure of gap junctions in cortical neurons, expressing Connexin 36, and astrocytes, expressing Connexin 43, after focused 1-MHz ultrasound exposure at 1.25 MPa of one hemisphere together with intravenous microbubble (Optison, Oslo, Norway) application. Quantification of immunofluorescence signals revealed that, compared with non-insonicated hemispheres, small-sized Connexin 43 and 36 gap-junctional plaques were markedly reduced in areas with BBB breakdown after 3 to 6 hours (34.02+/-6.04% versus 66.49+/-2.16%, P=0.02 for Connexin 43; 33.80+/-1.24% versus 36.77+/-3.43%, P=0.07 for Connexin 36). Complementing this finding, we found significant increases in large-sized gap-junctional plaques (5.76+/-0.96% versus 1.02+/-0.84%, P=0.05 for Connexin 43; 5.62+/-0.22% versus 4.65+/-0.80%, P=0.02 for Connexin 36). This effect was reversible at 24 hours after ultrasound exposure. Western blot analyses did not show any change in the total connexin amount. These results indicate that ultrasound-induced BBB opening leads to a reorganization of gap-junctional plaques in both neurons and astrocytes. The plaque-size increase may be a cellular response to imbalances in extracellular homeostasis after BBB leakage.
| S-EPMC2949216 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Focused Ultrasound (FUS) combined with microbubbles (FUS+MB) to transiently open the blood brain barrier (BBB) has shown promise as an immunotherapeutic in models of neurodegenerative disorders - resulting in significantly reduced pathological load and improved cognition. Preliminary histology and bulk tissue analysis of FUS+MB have indicated brain macrophage changes as a potential mechanism of the immunotherapy. However, prior to this study the temporal effect of FUS+MB on the two dominant brain macrophage populations - microglia and central nervous system associated macrophages (CAM) has not been reported. In this study, we establish that FUS+MB triggers a biphasic process involving both microglia and CAM. In the Phase I, 24h after treatment, microglia and resident CAM exhibit an early response signature, characterized by the upregulation of recruitment-associated chemokine and cytokines. In Phase II, 72h after treatment, CAM population size increases dramatically and both cell types exhibit a late response signature, characterized by upregulation of interferon genes indicative of cellular activation and immune response. Next, cell cycle analysis and immunohistochemistry indicate that microglia exhibit increased proliferation across both phases but CAM do not. Finally, the brain macrophage population size is correlated with the ultrasound-induced cavitation dose, indicating a dose-dependent response to treatment. The findings presented herein not only provide insight into the mechanism of the FUS+MB immunomodulatory effects but also into a mechanism of brain macrophage response that is capable of ameliorating neurological disease.
2023-06-17 | GSE198707 | GEO
Project description:Activating microbubbles (MBs) with focused ultrasound (FUS) for blood-brain (BBB) and blood-tumor barrier (BTB) opening permits targeted therapeutic delivery. While the effects of FUS-mediated BBB opening have been investigated for normal brain tissue, no such studies exist for intracranial tumors. As this technology advances into clinical immunotherapy trials, it will be crucial to understand how FUS modulates the tumor immune microenvironment. Here, bulk RNA sequencing revealed that FUS BTB/BBB opening (1 MHz, 0.5 MPa peak-negative pressure) of intracranial B16F1cOVA tumors increases the expression of genes related to proinflammatory cytokine and chemokine signaling, pattern recognition receptor signaling, and antigen processing and presentation. Flow cytometry revealed increased maturation (i.e. CD86) of dendritic cells (DCs) in the meninges and altered antigen loading of DCs in both the tumor and meninges. For DCs in tumor draining lymph nodes, FUS had no effect on maturation and elicited only a trend towards increased presentation of tumor-derived peptide by MHC. Neither tumor endothelial cell adhesion molecule expression nor homing of activated T cells was affected by FUS. In conclusion, FUS-mediated BTB/BBB opening elicits signatures of inflammation; however, the response is mild, transient, and unlikely to elicit a systemic response independent of administration of immune adjuvants.
2020-06-10 | GSE152138 | GEO
Project description:Single-cell sequencing of brain macrophages after focused-ultrasound blood-brain barrier opening
| PRJNA816515 | ENA
Project description:Background: Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neurodegenerative disease characterized by a progressive loss of motor neurons. The limited efficacy of recent therapies in clinical development may be linked to lack of drug penetration to the affected motor neurons due to the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and blood-spinal cord barrier (BSCB). Methods: In this work, the safety and efficacy of repeated short transient opening of the BSCB by low intensity pulsed ultrasound (US, sonication) was studied in females of an ALS mouse model (B6.Cg-Tg(SOD1*G93A)1Gur/J). The BSCB was disrupted using a 1 MHz ultrasound transducer coupled to the spinal cord, with and without injection of insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF1), a neurotrophic factor that has previously shown efficacy in ALS models. Findings: Results in healthy mouse models demonstrated that the BSCB can be safely disrupted and IGF1 concentrations significantly enhanced after a single session of transient BSCB disruption (176 ±32 µg/g vs. 0.16 ±0.008 µg/g, p<0.0001). Five repeated weekly US performed in female ALS mice demonstrated a survival advantage in mice treated with IGF1 and ultrasound (US+IGF1) compared to treatment with IGF1 alone (176 vs. 166 days, p=0.0038). Surprisingly, this survival advantage was also present in mice treated with ultrasound (US) alone vs untreated mice (178.5 vs. 166.5 days, p=0.0061). Analysis of glial cell immunoreactivity and microglial transcriptome showing reduced cell proliferation pathways, in addition to lymphocyte infiltration, suggested that the beneficial effect of US or US+IGF1 could act through immune cell modulation. Interpretation: These results show the first step towards a possible beneficial impact of transient BSCB opening for ALS therapy and suggest implication of immune cells.
2024-07-15 | GSE269925 | GEO
Project description:The blood brain barrier (BBB) plays a critically important role in the regulation of central nervous system (CNS) homeostasis, but also represents a major limitation to treatments of brain pathologies. In recent years, focused ultrasound (FUS) in conjunction with gas-filled microbubble contrast agents has emerged as a powerful tool for transiently and non-invasively disrupting the BBB in a targeted and image-guided manner, allowing for localized delivery of drugs, genes, or other therapeutic agents. Beyond the delivery of known therapeutics, FUS-mediated BBB opening also demonstrates the potential for use in neuromodulation and the stimulation of a range of cell- and tissue-level physiological responses that may prove beneficial in disease contexts. Clinical trials investigating the safety and efficacy of FUS-mediated BBB opening are well underway, and offer promising non-surgical approaches to treatment of devastating pathologies. This article reviews a range of pre-clinical and clinical studies demonstrating the tremendous potential of FUS to fundamentally change the paradigm of treatment for CNS diseases.
| S-EPMC9712235 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Burst-mode focused ultrasound (FUS) induces microbubble cavitation in the vasculature and temporarily disrupts the blood-brain barrier (BBB) to enable therapeutic agent delivery. However, it remains unclear whether FUS-induced BBB opening is accompanied by neuromodulation. Here we characterized the functional effects of FUS-induced BBB opening by measuring changes in somatosensory evoked potentials (SSEPs) and blood-oxygen-level dependent (BOLD) responses. Rats underwent burst-mode FUS (mechanical index (MI) of 0.3, 0.55 or 0.8) to the forelimb region in the left primary somatosensory cortex to induce BBB opening. Longitudinal measurements were followed for up to 1 week to characterize the temporal dynamics of neuromodulation. We observed that 0.8-MI FUS profoundly suppressed SSEP amplitude and prolonged latency, and this effect lasted 7 days. 0.55-MI FUS resulted in minimal and short-term suppression of SSEP for less than 60 minutes and didn't affect latency. BOLD responses were also suppressed in an MI-dependent manner, mirroring the effect on SSEPs. Furthermore, repetitive delivery of 0.55-MI FUS every 3 days elicited no accumulative effects on SSEPs or tissue integrity. This is the first evidence that FUS-induced BBB opening is accompanied by reversible changes in neuron responses, and may provide valuable insight toward the development of FUS-induced BBB opening for clinical applications.
| S-EPMC4614673 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundDiffuse midline glioma (DMG) is a pediatric tumor with dismal prognosis. Systemic strategies have been unsuccessful and radiotherapy (RT) remains the standard-of-care. A central impediment to treatment is the blood-brain barrier (BBB), which precludes drug delivery to the central nervous system (CNS). Focused ultrasound (FUS) with microbubbles can transiently and non-invasively disrupt the BBB to enhance drug delivery. This study aimed to determine the feasibility of brainstem FUS in combination with clinical doses of RT. We hypothesized that FUS-mediated BBB-opening (BBBO) is safe and feasible with 39 Gy RT.MethodsTo establish a safety timeline, we administered FUS to the brainstem of non-tumor bearing mice concurrent with or adjuvant to RT; our findings were validated in a syngeneic brainstem murine model of DMG receiving repeated sonication concurrent with RT. The brainstems of male B6 (Cg)-Tyrc-2J/J albino mice were intracranially injected with mouse DMG cells (PDGFB+, H3.3K27M, p53-/-). A clinical RT dose of 39 Gy in 13 fractions (39 Gy/13fx) was delivered using the Small Animal Radiation Research Platform (SARRP) or XRAD-320 irradiator. FUS was administered via a 0.5 MHz transducer, with BBBO and tumor volume monitored by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).ResultsFUS-mediated BBBO did not affect cardiorespiratory rate, motor function, or tissue integrity in non-tumor bearing mice receiving RT. Tumor-bearing mice tolerated repeated brainstem BBBO concurrent with RT. 39 Gy/13fx offered local control, though disease progression occurred 3-4 weeks post-RT.ConclusionRepeated FUS-mediated BBBO is safe and feasible concurrent with RT. In our syngeneic DMG murine model, progression occurs, serving as an ideal model for future combination testing with RT and FUS-mediated drug delivery.
| S-EPMC10981822 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Histotripsy is a novel focused ultrasound tumor ablation modality with potent immunostimulatory effects. To measure the spatiotemporal kinetics of local and abscopal responses to histotripsy, C57BL/6 mice bearing bilateral flank B16 melanoma or Hepa1-6 hepatocellular carcinoma tumors were treated with unilateral sham or partial histotripsy. Treated and Controltralateral untreated (abscopal) tumors were analyzed using multicolor immunofluorescence, digital spatial profiling, RNA sequencing (RNASeq), and flow cytometry.
2023-01-12 | GSE221448 | GEO
Project description:The intracellular signaling involved in the mechanism of action of zonula occludens toxin (ZOT) was studied using several in vitro and ex vivo models. ZOT showed a selective effect among various cell lines tested, suggesting that it may interact with a specific receptor, whose surface expression on various cells differs. When tested in IEC6 cell monolayers, ZOT-containing supernatants induced a redistribution of the F-actin cytoskeleton. Similar results were obtained with rabbit ileal mucosa, where the reorganization of F-actin paralleled the increase in tissue permeability. In endothelial cells, the cytoskeletal rearrangement involved a decrease of the soluble G-actin pool (-27%) and a reciprocal increase in the filamentous F-actin pool (+22%). This actin polymerization was time- and dose-dependent, and was reversible. Pretreatment with a specific protein kinase C inhibitor, CGP41251, completely abolished the ZOT effects on both tissue permeability and actin polymerization. In IEC6 cells ZOT induced a peak increment of the PKC-alpha isoform after 3 min incubation. Taken together, these results suggest that ZOT activates a complex intracellular cascade of events that regulate tight junction permeability, probably mimicking the effect of physiologic modulator(s) of epithelial barrier function.
| S-EPMC185254 | biostudies-literature