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Focused ultrasound-induced blood-brain barrier opening for noninvasive extracellular vesicle release

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  • Release Date
  • 2024-01-18

This technology is an in vivo tool using focused ultrasound (FUS) with microbubbles to induce blood-brain barrier opening (BBBO) and increase serum extracellular vesicle (EV) levels.

Unmet Need: Method to increase EV serum levels for more sensitive biomarker detection in disease diagnosis and monitoring

The neuroimmune system relies on extracellular vesicles (EVs) carrying diverse cargo for communication and maintenance of healthy homeostasis, thus they have important indications in neurological disease states. Isolating EVs is an emerging method for improved sensitivity of biomarker detection in diseases such as traumatic brain injury and Alzheimer’s disease; however, the blood-brain barrier (BBB) limits EV release from the brain into the periphery, hindering detection through conventional serum assays. A method that promotes EV transfer into serum across the blood-brain barrier would improve the sensitivity of biomarker detection for diagnostics and disease monitoring in neurological conditions.

The Technology: Noninvasive extracellular vesicle release with focused ultrasound

This technology induces opening of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) with focused ultrasound. Cavitation by FUS of intravenously injected microbubbles in the cerebrovasculature causes the BBB to open, allowing for improved transfer of EVs into the periphery. Serum levels of EVs are significantly higher after FUS treatment. Higher EV serum levels lead to better EV isolation, and thus may increase sensitivity of biomarker detection with neurological diseases.

This technology has been validated with murine and clinical patient serum.

Applications:

  • Noninvasive blood-brain barrier opening
  • Analysis and manipulation of neuroimmune biomarkers in peripheral serum
  • Brain cell EV isolation and extraction
  • Highly specific diagnostic tool for neurological diseases
  • Therapeutic delivery across blood-brain barrier
  • Research tool for neuroimmune cell communication systems

Advantages:

  • Noninvasive
  • Sensitive biomarker detection
  • High-precision modulation
  • Targets hard-to-access biomarkers
  • Compatible for integration with commercial serum EV isolation and biomarker detection kits

Lead Inventor:

Elisa E. Konofagou, Ph.D.

Patent Information:

Patent Pending

Related Publications:

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