Low-Frequency (20 kHz) Ultrasonic Modulation of Drug Action

Ultrasound Med Biol. 2020 Nov;46(11):3017-3031. doi: 10.1016/j.ultrasmedbio.2020.07.002. Epub 2020 Aug 4.

Abstract

We tested the effect of low-frequency ultrasound (LUS, 20 kHz, 4 W/cm2) on the function of rat mesentery and human pulmonary arteries with wire myography. The vessels were induced to contract with either noradrenaline or physiologic saline solution (PSS) with a high potassium concentration (KPSS) and then incubated with capsaicin (2.1 × 10-7 M, TRPV1 [transient receptor potential vanilloid 1] activator), dopamine (1 × 10-4 M, dopamine and α2-receptor activator), or fenoldopam (dopamineA1 receptor agonist, 1 × 10-4 M) with and without glibenclamide (1 μM, KATP [adenosine triphosphate {sensitive potassium channel (ATP)}-sensitive potassium channel] inhibitor and α2-receptor modulator), and insonated. Vessels were incubated in Ca2+-free PSS and induced to contract with added extracellular Ca2+ and noradrenaline. Pulmonary arteries were induced to contract with KPSS and dopamine. Then the vessels were insonated. LUS inhibited the influx of external Ca2+, inhibited the dopamine-induced vasoconstriction in the KPSS (glibenclamide reversible), reduced the capsaicin-induced vasorelaxation, increased the gentamicin-induced vasorelaxation and increased the dopamine-induced contraction in the KPSS in human pulmonary arteries.

Keywords: Calcium signaling; Drug action; Insonation; Low-frequency ultrasound; Ultrasonic modulation.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Humans
  • Mesentery / drug effects*
  • Mesentery / radiation effects*
  • Myography
  • Pulmonary Artery / drug effects*
  • Pulmonary Artery / radiation effects*
  • Rats
  • Rats, Wistar
  • Ultrasonic Waves*