Nanoparticle delivery to the brain — By focused ultrasound and self-assembled nanoparticle-stabilized microbubbles

The blood-brain barrier (BBB) constitutes a significant obstacle for the delivery of drugs into the central nervous system (CNS). Nanoparticles have been able to partly overcome this obstacle and can thus improve drug delivery across the BBB. Furthermore, focused ultrasound in combination with gas filled microbubbles has opened the BBB in a temporospatial manner in animal models, thus facilitating drug delivery across the BBB. In the current study we combine these two approaches in our quest to develop a novel, generic method for drug delivery across the BBB and into the CNS. Nanoparticles were synthesized using the polymer poly(butyl cyanoacrylate) (PBCA), and such nanoparticles have been reported to cross the BBB to some extent. Together with proteins, these nanoparticles self-assemble into microbubbles. Using these novel microbubbles in combination with focused ultrasound, we successfully and safely opened the BBB transiently in healthy rats. Furthermore, we also demonstrated that the nanoparticles could cross the BBB and deliver a model drug into the CNS.