Pitt Shield

Focused ultrasound-mediated intranasal brain drug delivery technique (FUSIN).

Authors: Ye D, Chen H

The blood-brain barrier (BBB) is the major obstacle for brain drug delivery and limits the treatment options for central nervous system diseases. To circumvent the BBB, we introduce focused ultrasound-mediated intranasal brain drug delivery (FUSIN). FUSIN utilizes the nasal route for direct nose-to-brain drug administration, bypassing the BBB and minimizing systemic exposure to the major organs, such as heart, lung, liver, and kidney [1]. It also uses transcranial ultrasound energy focused at a targeted brain region to induce microbubble cavitation, enhancing the transport of intranasally administered agents at the FUS-targeted brain location. FUSIN is unique because it can achieve noninvasive and localized brain drug delivery with minimized systemic toxicity to other major organs. The goal of this paper is to provide a detailed protocol for FUSIN delivery to the mouse brain.•FUSIN delivery utilizes the nose-to-brain pathway for brain drug delivery.•FUSIN utilizes FUS combined with microbubble to significantly enhance the delivery efficiency of intranasally administered drugs to the FUS targeted brain regions.•FUSIN achieves efficient brain delivery with minimized systemic exposure in the major organs.

Introduction

Purpose Drug delivery WITHOUT BBB opening
Study Objective To provide a detailed protocol for focused ultrasound-mediated intranasal brain drug delivery (FUSIN) to the mouse brain.
Animal model / Human subject Mouse (Mus musculus), strain not specified, adult (18–35 g), sex not specified
Disease model Healthy
MRI or image guidance method Ultrasound image guidance (B‑mode) using a co‑axial imaging probe and a visible metal grid aligned to the skull lambda; transducer positioned by stereotactic coordinates relative to lambda and focus depth set from B‑mode images. (MRI guidance noted as an alternative.)
Targeted brain region(s) Brainstem
Target coordinates AP = 0.0 mm, ML = -1.5 mm, DV = 4.00 mm (depth from skull); coordinates referenced to lambda
Cargo name and characteristics 800CW-BSA — near-infrared fluorescent dye-labeled bovine serum albumin (protein; fluorescently labeled model agent). The paper also references use of dextran and nanoparticles (including gold nanoclusters/gold nanoparticles) in related experiments.
Route of administration intranasal

Outcomes and Safety

Summary of Outcomes FUSIN (focused ultrasound-mediated intranasal delivery) significantly enhances transport of intranasally administered agents to FUS-targeted brain regions via microbubble cavitation while minimizing systemic exposure to major organs. The provided excerpt does not report specific focused ultrasound parameter values or multiple tested parameter sets.
Safety-related matter Authors state FUSIN minimizes systemic exposure and systemic toxicity to major organs (heart, lung, liver, kidney) and achieves localized, noninvasive delivery. No adverse effects or safety issues are reported in the provided text.

Brain Region

Ultrasound Parameters

Ultrasound instrument Focused ultrasound (FUS) transducer (model/manufacturer not reported); center frequency 1.5 MHz; focal depth 60 mm; aperture 60 mm; circular central opening 38 mm; driven by built-in signal generator. Ultrasound imaging probe: L8–17 (Alpinion, Seoul, Korea), 8–17 MHz (center frequency 12 MHz).
FUS Frequency 1.5 MHz
FUS Pressure 0.54 Mpa
FUS Mode pulsed
Pulse duration 6.7 ms
Duration of a single FUS session 1 min
Focal Characteristics Focal depth: 60 mm; Focal length: None; Aperture size: 60 mm
Treatment frequency Single session

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