Non-invasive molecularly-specific millimeter-resolution manipulation of brain circuits by ultrasound-mediated aggregation and uncaging of drug carriers

Nat Commun. 2020 Oct 1;11(1):4929. doi: 10.1038/s41467-020-18059-7.

Abstract

Non-invasive, molecularly-specific, focal modulation of brain circuits with low off-target effects can lead to breakthroughs in treatments of brain disorders. We systemically inject engineered ultrasound-controllable drug carriers and subsequently apply a novel two-component Aggregation and Uncaging Focused Ultrasound Sequence (AU-FUS) at the desired targets inside the brain. The first sequence aggregates drug carriers with millimeter-precision by orders of magnitude. The second sequence uncages the carrier's cargo locally to achieve high target specificity without compromising the blood-brain barrier (BBB). Upon release from the carriers, drugs locally cross the intact BBB. We show circuit-specific manipulation of sensory signaling in motor cortex in rats by locally concentrating and releasing a GABAA receptor agonist from ultrasound-controlled carriers. Our approach uses orders of magnitude (1300x) less drug than is otherwise required by systemic injection and requires very low ultrasound pressures (20-fold below FDA safety limits for diagnostic imaging). We show that the BBB remains intact using passive cavitation detection (PCD), MRI-contrast agents and, importantly, also by sensitive fluorescent dye extravasation and immunohistochemistry.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Blood-Brain Barrier / diagnostic imaging
  • Blood-Brain Barrier / metabolism*
  • Blood-Brain Barrier / radiation effects
  • Brain Diseases / drug therapy*
  • Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation
  • Drug Carriers / chemistry
  • Drug Carriers / pharmacokinetics
  • Drug Carriers / radiation effects*
  • Female
  • GABA-A Receptor Agonists / administration & dosage*
  • GABA-A Receptor Agonists / pharmacokinetics
  • Humans
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Models, Animal
  • Muscimol / administration & dosage
  • Muscimol / pharmacokinetics
  • Rats
  • Stereotaxic Techniques
  • Ultrasonic Waves
  • Ultrasonography, Interventional / methods*

Substances

  • Drug Carriers
  • GABA-A Receptor Agonists
  • Muscimol