Optical Modulation of the Blood-Brain Barrier for Glioblastoma Treatment

Qi Cai; Hanwen Fan; Xiaoqing Li; Monica Giannotta; Robert Bachoo; Zhenpeng Qin

doi:10.21769/BioProtoc.4920

Optical Modulation of the Blood-Brain Barrier for Glioblastoma Treatment

Bio Protoc. 2024 Jan 20;14(2):e4920. doi: 10.21769/BioProtoc.4920.

Authors

Qi Cai^{1

2}, Hanwen Fan¹, Xiaoqing Li³, Monica Giannotta^{4

5}, Robert Bachoo^{6

7

8}, Zhenpeng Qin^{1

3

9

10}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX, 75080, USA.
² Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, 70803, USA.
³ Department of Bioengineering, The University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX, 75080, USA.
⁴ FIRC Institute of Molecular Oncology Foundation (IFOM), 20139 Milan, Italy.
⁵ Division of Immunology, Transplantation and Infectious Diseases, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, 20132, Milan, Italy.
⁶ Department of Internal Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA.
⁷ Harold C. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA.
⁸ Department of Neurology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA.
⁹ The Center for Advanced Pain Studies, The University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX, 75080, USA.
¹⁰ Department of Biomedical Engineering, The University of Texas at Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, 75080, USA.

Abstract

The blood-brain barrier (BBB) is a major obstacle to the diagnostics and treatment of many central nervous system (CNS) diseases. A prime example of this challenge is seen in glioblastoma (GBM), the most aggressive and malignant primary brain tumor. The BBB in brain tumors, or the blood-brain-tumor barrier (BBTB), prevents the efficient delivery of most therapeutics to brain tumors. Current strategies to overcome the BBB for therapeutic delivery, such as using hyperosmotic agents (mannitol), have impeded progress in clinical translation limited by the lack of spatial resolution, high incidences of complications, and potential for toxicity. Focused ultrasound combined with intravenously administered microbubbles enables the transient disruption of the BBB and has progressed to early-phase clinical trials. However, the poor survival with currently approved treatments for GBM highlights the compelling need to develop and validate treatment strategies as well as the screening for more potent anticancer drugs. In this protocol, we introduce an optical method to open the BBTB (OptoBBTB) for therapeutic delivery via ultrashort pulse laser stimulation of vascular targeting plasmonic gold nanoparticles (AuNPs). Specifically, the protocol includes the synthesis and characterization of vascular-targeting AuNPs and a detailed procedure of optoBBTB. We also report the downstream characterization of the drug delivery and tumor treatment efficacy after BBB modulation. Compared with other barrier modulation methods, our optical approach has advantages in high spatial resolution and minimally invasive access to tissues. Overall, optoBBTB allows for the delivery of a variety of therapeutics into the brain and will accelerate drug delivery and screening for CNS disease treatment. Key features • Pulsed laser excitation of vascular-targeting gold nanoparticles non-invasively and reversibly modulates the blood-brain barrier permeability. • OptoBBTB enhances drug delivery in clinically relevant glioblastoma models. • OptoBBTB has the potential for drug screening and evaluation for superficial brain tumor treatment.

Keywords: Blood–brain barrier; Blood–brain–tumor barrier; Chemotherapy; Drug delivery; Glioblastoma; Nanoparticles; Pulsed laser.

Grants and funding

RF1 NS110499/NS/NINDS NIH HHS/United States