Using acoustic cavitation to enhance chemotherapy of DOX liposomes: experiment in vitro and in vivo

Drug Dev Ind Pharm. 2012 Sep;38(9):1090-8. doi: 10.3109/03639045.2011.640332. Epub 2011 Dec 21.

Abstract

Experiments in vitro and in vivo were designed to investigate tumor growth inhibition of chemotherapeutics-loaded liposomes enhanced by acoustic cavitation. Doxorubicin-loaded liposomes (DOX liposomes) were used in experiments to investigate acoustic cavitation mediated effects on cell viability and chemotherapeutic function. The influence of lingering sensitive period after acoustic cavitation on tumor inhibition was also investigated. Animal experiment was carried out to verify the practicability of this technique in vivo. From experiment results, blank phospholipid-based microbubbles (PBM) combined with ultrasound (US) at intensity below 0.3 W/cm² could produce acoustic cavitation which maintained cell viability at high level. Compared with DOX solution, DOX liposomes combined with acoustic cavitation exerted effective tumor inhibition in vitro and in vivo. The lingering sensitive period after acoustic cavitation could also enhance the susceptibility of tumor to chemotherapeutic drugs. DOX liposomes could also exert certain tumor inhibition under preliminary acoustic cavitation. Acoustic cavitation could enhance the absorption efficiency of DOX liposomes, which could be used to reduce DOX adverse effect on normal organs in clinical chemotherapy.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antibiotics, Antineoplastic / administration & dosage
  • Antibiotics, Antineoplastic / metabolism
  • Antibiotics, Antineoplastic / pharmacology
  • Antibiotics, Antineoplastic / therapeutic use*
  • Biological Transport
  • Breast Neoplasms / drug therapy*
  • Breast Neoplasms / metabolism
  • Breast Neoplasms / therapy
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cell Survival / drug effects
  • Combined Modality Therapy
  • Doxorubicin / administration & dosage
  • Doxorubicin / metabolism
  • Doxorubicin / pharmacology
  • Doxorubicin / therapeutic use*
  • Drug Resistance, Neoplasm
  • Female
  • Lecithins / chemistry
  • Liposomes
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Nude
  • Microbubbles
  • Pharmaceutical Vehicles / chemistry*
  • Sonication
  • Ultrasonic Therapy / methods*
  • Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays

Substances

  • Antibiotics, Antineoplastic
  • Lecithins
  • Liposomes
  • Pharmaceutical Vehicles
  • Doxorubicin