Experimental study on ultrasound-guided injection of paclitaxel-loaded thermosensitive hydrogel in treatment of breast cancer in rats / 中华超声影像学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To prepare a sustained-delivery of paclitaxel-loaded thermosensitive hydrogel for the treatment of breast cancer by ultrasound-guided intratumoral injection,and probe the antitumor effect and mechanism of the new method. Methods Paclitaxel-loaded thermosensitive hydrogel was prepared. A total of 40 rats bearing subcutaneous breast tumor were randomized into 4 groups. Each group of rats were administered ultrasound-guided intratumoral injection of different agents as follows salin, thermosensitive hydrogel, paclitaxel injection and paclitaxel-loaded thermosensitive hydrogel. The tumor nodules were scanned by high frequence ultrasound. The rats were sacrificed on the 14th day,and then the tumors were stripped to calculate the growth inhibitory rate. Histological examinations were undergone and RT-PCR was performed for the detection of bcl-2 and bax expression. Results Greater decrease in average tumor weight was found in paclitaxel-gel group [(16. 04 ± 2. 82)g], compared with that in paclitaxel group [(27.45 ±5.13)g, P ＜0. 05],and tumor growth inhibitory rate in the group was 62.77 %. In this group, blood flow signals reduction was detected on ultrasound and extensive necrosis was found in histological examination. In addition,down-regulation in bcl-2 mRNA expression and up-regulation in bax were found. Conclusions Ultrasound-guided percutaneous intratumoral injection of paclitaxel-loaded thermosensitive hydrogel may provide an effective method for breast tumor ablation therapy. The mechanism may be related to the inhibition of proliferation and induction of apoptosis.