The Effect of Blood-Brain Barrier Disruption on Cancer-associated Biomarker Shedding from Murine Gliomas

Focused Ultrasound disruption is a novel therapy that could facilitate the use of liquid biopsies for detection and observation of cancers in immune privileged organs. These alternatives to traditional biopsies are used to analyze molecules in circulation which could be less invasive and more effective measures of tumor progression. This study aims to determine whether targeted Focused Ultrasound-induced blood-brain barrier disruption allows for greater concentrations of cancer-associated molecules from malignant brain tumors to enter the circulation. This determination is based on parallel experimentation to detect these molecules both in vitro and in vivo using genetic sequencing and bioluminescent response from Gaussia Luciferase and observing the effect with and without Focused Ultrasound therapy. Polymerase chain reaction was used to amplify Gaussia Luciferase and was found to be sensitive enough to detect a single copy of DNA. While this study presents preliminary results from these experiments, the results of this inquiry have yet to be finalized and future experimentation with be needed.Undergraduat