Lipid nanobubbles as an ultrasound-triggered artesunate delivery system for imaging-guided, tumor-targeted chemotherapy

PURPOSE: Herein, this study is to prepare folic acid (FA)-conjugated lipid nanobubbles (NBs) that highly load artesunate (Arte; FA-ALNBs), as an ultrasound (US)-triggered Arte delivery system for imaging-guided, tumor-targeted chemotherapy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The morphology, size, zeta potential, and stability of the FA-ALNBs were detected by optical microscopy and dynamic light scattering analysis. The cellular uptake of the FA-ALNBs was evaluated by confocal laser scanning microscopy and flow cytometry. RESULTS: The FA-ALNBs showed uniform spheroidal structure, with 781.2±5.3 nm in average diameter, great physiological stability, and ~91.9%±1.1% encapsulation efficiency of Arte. Using focused US, about 36.1%±2.5% of the entrapped Arte was trigger-released from the FA-ALNBs. Owing to the US contrast property, FA-ALNBs showed an enhanced US signal in vitro when using an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus with a 1-MHz linear transducer. Due to the FA receptor-mediated endocytosis effect, FA-ALNBs can be efficiently internalized by cells, showing an uptake ratio of about 56.4%±3.1%. FA-ALNBs showed an enhanced, dose-dependent cell-killing ability, while FA-ALNBs plus US irradiation exhibited a stronger anticancer effect in vitro. Post intravenous injection into tumor-bearing mice, FA-ALNBs showed an enhanced US contrast effect with increase in time, indicating the increasing accumulation of FA-ALNBs in tumor tissue, which peaked at 4 hours post injection. Focused US irradiation was conducted on the tumor region at 4 hours post injection of FA-ALNBs, which showed a greater tumor suppression effect after 30 days of treatment compared with all other treatment groups. Moreover, FA-ALNBs showed negligible systemic toxicity in vivo. CONCLUSION: This versatile US-triggered drug delivery system with great anticancer efficacy was assessed both in vitro and in vivo, revealing great potential as a cancer theranostic agent for future application.