Logo image
Back
Induction of Apoptosis by Targeted Ultrasound Contrast Agents in Cancer Therapy
Conference proceeding

Induction of Apoptosis by Targeted Ultrasound Contrast Agents in Cancer Therapy

Lauren J. Jablonowski, Averie M. Palovcak, Margaret A. Wheatley and IEEE
2013 39TH ANNUAL NORTHEAST BIOENGINEERING CONFERENCE (NEBEC 2013)
01 Jan 2013
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1109/NEBEC.2013.101

Abstract

Engineering Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Electrical & Electronic Science & Technology Technology
This research aims to develop an injectable polymer-based, platform to enable minimally-invasive targeted delivery of bioactive nano particles. Studies have shown polymer-stabilized gas microbubbles to be effective in enhancing an ultrasound image, especially those involving cancerous tumors. These contrast agents can serve a dual purpose when designed to include a specific ligand conjugated to the surface for targeting and a drug encapsulated in the shell. Research is underway to harness these techniques in the fight against cancer. Tumor necrosis factor related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) is a protein that not only binds to cell death receptors (DR4 and DR5) on cancerous cells for targeting, but this binding also promotes apoptosis in the targeted cell. Healthy cells have decoy receptors that compete for binding. Our hypothesis is that intravenously injected TRAIL-conjugated microbubbles, when exposed to ultrasound (US), will burst to form nanoshards (n-Sh) which will transport the TRAIL to cancer cell receptors, where binding initiates apoptosis.

Metrics

8 Record Views

Details

InCites Highlights

Data related to this publication, from InCites Benchmarking & Analytics tool:

Web of Science research areas
Engineering, Biomedical
Engineering, Electrical & Electronic
Logo image