This invention relates to the electroporation arts and particularly devices useful for applying electroporation-based delivery of therapeutic agents to patient tissues and cells. More specifically, this invention relates to electroporation devices capable of delivering therapeutic levels of drugs and other medicaments for treating diseases or application in gene therapy wherein the device comprises modular components, some of which are disposable.
Electroporation has proven to be useful in the delivery of substances directly into biologic cells of tissues. The methodologies employed for electroporation of such materials into tissues have varied and the devices designed for such electroporation have been numerous. However, there remains a need in the art for a clinically-friendly and user-friendly device that can be employed to administer therapeutic agents to patients in need thereof. To date there is no single device designed to have modular components, some of which are intended to be disposable after a single use, that is inexpensive to produce yet highly effective in the clinic and that incorporates various components including a disposable component for carrying a fluid therapeutic or a disposable needle tipped head with safety shield and other functional features. Of particular need is a device that can be easily employed to administer therapeutic compounds to large numbers of patients in a short period of time and while maintaining accuracy in the administration of a therapeutic agent into patient tissues relative to positioning of electrodes in such tissues.
Given the need for a simple, modular and disposable electroporation device, we provide the following invention which will be understood by those skilled in the art to address the ongoing needs in the medical arts.
In a first embodiment, we provide an electroporation device for use in administering therapeutic compounds to patient populations in need thereof. In this embodiment, the device comprises a plurality of modular components including a handle, which may be held and manipulated by the hand of the user. The handle comprises a central component of the invention to which is attached at one end an electric wire for electrically connecting the handle to a pulse generator, and at the other end a connector for connecting to the handle a disposable “head” component which also comprises multiple elements.
In preferred embodiments, the elements comprising the head component include any or all of 1) an array of electrodes attached in electrical communication with an electrical connector adapted to mate with the connector of the handle, 2) an injection port and/or injection hypodermic type needle for delivering therapeutic agent into the tissues of a patient, 3) a slidably engaged electrode shield, and 4) an electrode directional and depth guide for aiding predetermined orientation of the electrodes upon entrance into a biologic tissue, and for limiting the depth to which the electrodes and/or injection needle may enter said tissue.
With respect to each of the invention components, each comprise any number and combination of possible structures which may be included and that otherwise provide for variable applications for which the device with its primary modular components (handle and head with electrodes, injection port, shield, and/or depth and direction guide) may be used for medical, veterinary, or clinical research purposes.
For example, in one embodiment, the handle may be designed with specific finger grips such as indicated in pistol grip configuration of
In another embodiment, the wire providing for electrical communication between the pulse generator and the handle is attached to the handle such that the wire extends from the handle at an anatomically oriented angle, generally of between 0 and 85 degrees, usually of between 20 and 65 degrees, to the surface of the handle thereby providing for the capability to the user to use the device without the wire interfering or influencing undesirably the user's manipulation of the device. This feature is particularly useful where the handle has a linear construction.
In another embodiment, the handle includes an “activation switch” for activating the electrodes with electrical energy from the pulse generator. Such switch may comprise a trigger e.g., in the form of a pistol trigger or the like in association with a pistol grip, or an activation button positioned for easy manipulation by the user, can comprise a foot switch separate from the hand held device.
In still another embodiment, instead of a trough or C clip to hold a syringe on the top of the invention device, the handle, particularly one constructed as a pistol grip, can include an aperture which extends through the upper portion of the handle for accommodating a plunger capable of being slid back and forth through the handle and for engaging a vial containing a therapeutic compound, said vial further including a slidable piston at one end. (See FIGS. 10A-D and 11A-D). As further described below, the device can be constructed so as to accommodate said vial between the head/electrodes and said handle. When the head, vial and handle are connected together, the plunger may be used to expel fluid from the vial and out of the injection port.
With respect to the head component, elements associated therewith can include numerous variations and modifications including such as follows:
In a further embodiment of the electrode array, where said electrodes comprise a plurality of needle electrodes, the array comprises at least four electrodes spaced about a center in roughly a circular pattern. Each of such electrodes is capable of penetrating biological tissue, said electrodes having an even number of electrodes such that there are an equal number of electrodes having opposite polarity. In other words, the electrodes of opposing polarity are “paired” in a spaced relation to one another on opposite sides of the array. The at least four electrodes can be solid or tubular, and if tubular, can be used to inject a therapeutic agent into the tissue. Additionally, if tubular, the electrodes can be fenestrated having export openings at spaced intervals along the length of the electrode and/or at the tip of the electrode. Further still, the electrodes can be energized simultaneously or the electrodes can be energized in predetermined groups. For example, opposed pairs of electrodes can be energized and if more than two pairs of electrodes of opposite polarity are present, the different electrodes can be energized or pulsed selectively around the circular styled array such that the electric field generated during such pulsing of each opposed pair of electrodes is caused to change direction with respect to the area between the array of electrodes.
In still further embodiments, where needle electrodes are used, needle electrodes within an array are spaced at predetermined distances from one another, preferably between about 0.2 cm and 2.0 cm and in a geometric pattern, particularly, a square, rectangle, hexagon, or octagon and oppositely polarizable electrodes are positioned opposite one another on the geometric array. In further related embodiments needle electrodes can be of any length but are generally between 0.4 cm and 5.0 cm long and are between 0.25 mm and 1.5 mm thick.
2) Injection Port. In preferred embodiments, the injection port element of the disposable head comprises an aperture leading to a bore in the central core support placed centrally therein with respect to the array of electrodes as shown, for example, in
In still a further embodiment, around the opening of the injection port on the same side as the electrodes, the invention can include a sealing means for making a seal between the central core at the injection port opening (whether the opening is at the surface of the central core support or at the proximal end of a needle, if a needle is present such as by a needle protruding through the bore or a needle directly attached thereto) and the surface of the tissue being treated. The seal provides the capability of avoiding or lessening the loss from an injection channel produced by the insertion of the hypodermic needle into said tissue of material injected in said tissue (such as a patient tissue). The seal may be of any material capable of acting to stop or hinder leakage of fluid material from the site of the injection needle penetration into the tissue of a subject. For example, a seal may be constructed of a resilient material including, but not limited to rubber, plastic, or adhesive.
3) Safety Shield. In preferred embodiments, the safety shield comprises a cowling surrounding the central core (which comprises the interior of the head), such core forming a support for the electrodes and injection port. Generally, the shield forms a “tube” which covers the electrodes when the head is either not attached or attached to the handle but is not ready for immediate use. The shield can be conveniently constructed of a clear or translucent material so that the electrodes and injection port can be viewed therethrough. Further, the shield is slidably connected to the head component central core. In a further related embodiment, whether the head is attached to the handle or not, the shield is maintained in a closed or “safe” position by a tension means, such as, for example, a coil spring or plastic keeper. When the device is prepared for use, the safety shield may be opened by sliding the shield back, exposing the electrodes and injection port. During use, the shield can be maintained in an open position, if desired, by a locking mechanism such as, for example, a spring loaded clasp. Additionally, the head includes a safety shield “guide” attached to the central core near the handle end of the central core and concentric with, and of greater diameter than, the safety shield. The rear or handle end portion of said safety shield, when retracted, slides underneath the shield guide. When fully retracted the handle end of the shield may abut the base of the shield guide/central core interface, i.e., the handle end of the shield abuts a portion of the interior of the shield guide at its handle end where the guide, central core, and electric connector merge together, and thereby limit the travel of the shield.
4) Electrode Guide. In preferred embodiments, and for instances where needle electrodes are used, the guide forms a plate which may comprise the outer end of the safety shield such that said plate has bores therethrough corresponding to each electrode and injection needle. Preferably, said electrode guide provides the ability of the user to keep the electrodes directed on a linear trajectory as the needles enter the patient tissue. Additionally, the guide can be provided on the shield with a predetermined limit to the travel of the shield such that when the shield is opened or retracted, the extent to which it is allowed to slide back can be limited providing for the needle electrodes to protrude past the end of the guide at predetermined depths. The guide may be integral with the outer end of the safety shield or may be a separate modular unit that can be aligned with the needle electrodes and/or safety shield. In the case where the head uses transsurface electrodes, no guide is employed.
In still further embodiments, the handle side of the head within the central portion of the shield guide can be constructed so as to provide a receptacle or cavity in which to place a vial containing a fluid therapeutic agent. In such embodiment, the handle side of the central core bore opening terminates in a short pointed canula capable of piercing a rubber stopper on said vial. Additionally, the vial may be constructed with a movable piston on the end opposite the rubber stopper which when compressed will cause the fluid therein to be expelled out of the injection port.
Further embodiments include an invention apparatus wherein the capability of injecting a therapeutic agent from a syringe or a compressible vial is carried out either fully- or semi-automatically such as by electronically induced actuator or by squeezing a trigger lever as depicted in
In still further embodiments, the device can be used to treat numerous medical conditions, particularly medical conditions requiring direct delivery of a therapeutic substance into the interior of cells in a biologic tissue. Indications for use of such device include treatment for cancer, vaccination against disease, such as for example by gene therapy, wound healing, etc. In still further related embodiments, the invention device can be used with an outlook to eliciting a predetermined level of histological change in the tissue, such change including changes related to an immune responses in a patient. In this aspect, the voltage, pulse number and length of pulses applied to an electrode array of any given dimensions is predetermined to result in a predetermined electric field strength and pulse duration and repetition pattern to provide a given level of reactivity in the tissue being electroporated. Such reactivity can provide for an appropriate level of immune activation or gene expression in the tissues electroporated.
In another alternate embodiment, the invention device can comprise a head without a handle portion. In this embodiment, novel aspects of electroporation electrode assembly design are provided. In a first aspect of this alternate embodiment, the invention assembly comprises an electrode substrate for mounting a plurality of elongate electrodes. In a preferred embodiment, the plurality of electrodes are mounted in a “plug” which fits into the substrate. In a related embodiment the electrodes are positioned in the plug in a geometric pattern in spaced relation to one another such that they are patterned generally around a circumference centered on a bore in the substrate.
In a second aspect of this alternate embodiment, the bore extends completely through the central core of the substrate so as to form an open-ended port of sufficient dimensions to allow the passage therethrough of a hypodermic needle. In a related embodiment, the bore's central axis lies in a parallel direction with and central to the linear axis of the plurality of electrodes.
In a third aspect of this alternate embodiment, the substrate with electrodes and bore are placed centrally in a substantially cylindrical housing which, due to its dimensions, serves as a safety shield for the elongate electrodes and hypodermic needle, when present. In a preferred embodiment, the substrate in said central placement within said housing is slideably engaged with said housing such that the substrate and electrodes/injector needle can be reversibly moved from a first position wherein the electrodes/injector needle are enclosed within said housing, to a second position wherein at least a portion of the electrodes/injector needle are exposed from one end of said housing. In related embodiments, the housing comprises a clear or translucent material so that the electrodes/needles can be readily viewed. In a related embodiment the housing has opposing slide guide channels running the length of the housing, one each on opposite sides of the housing. Correspondingly, in another embodiment, the substrate has substrate slide tabs which fit into the slide guide channels. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the slide guides and slide tabs keep the travel of the substrate and electrodes in a single linear orientation so that the substrate cannot rotate as it is slid along the shield housing.
In a fourth aspect of this alternate embodiment, electrically conductive leads connect individually each electrode in the electrode plug and terminate in an electric connector port at a position along the circumference of the substrate and extend to a position external to the outer circumference of said housing for connecting the electrodes to a source of electric power. In a further related embodiment, the electric connector port is capable of connection with an external matching plug and wire due to the shield having a cut-out along its length to allow the substrate to slide a predetermined distance with the port so connected to the external plug.
In a fifth aspect of this alternate embodiment, the assembly comprises a connector for engaging the expulsion port of a hypodermic syringe and hypodermic needle attached thereto. Preferably, the connector abuts the bore opening in the electrode substrate on the side of the substrate opposite the electrodes. In a further embodiment, the connector has a channel comprising an open-ended bore that is in-line with the bore of the substrate so that a hypodermic needle, when connected to a syringe, can be removeably placed through both the connector and substrate bores, and the expulsion port/hypodermic needle butt can be engaged with the connector.
In a sixth aspect of this alternate embodiment, the electrode assembly comprises a locking means such that the ability of the substrate to slidably move from said first position to said second position can be forcibly stopped and kept immobile at either of said first or said second position. In a preferred embodiment, the locking mechanism comprises a means which employees a rotation-based locking means which is rotatably engaged with the housing and in rotatably locking or unlocking engagement with the electrode bearing substrate.
A further embodiment the invention device comprises a planar discoid substrate having first and second sides with a plurality of bores therethrough arranged in spaced relation to one another and predominantly in a geometric pattern. In this embodiment, the discoid substrate provides for assisting in the proper orientation of an injected bolus of a fluid medium in a patient tissue relative to the orientation of separately applied elongate electroporation electrodes in said tissue such as by use of said first and alternative embodiments of the modular invention device.
On the first side of said discoid substrate is applied a semi-permanent adhesive material for maintaining the device securely on a preselected surface of a tissue. On the second side, i.e., the side intended to contact electrodes and syringe needle of one embodiment or another of the electroporation apparatus, or of an electroporation device having elongate electrodes without a centrally oriented syringe with injector needle, the surface of said second side is raised to specified dimensions in the areas surrounding the bores so as to extend the internal length of selected ones of said bores. In a related embodiment, the raised portions are designed to predetermined lengths for use, in a first instance, as stops for providing for a predetermined depth of penetration of either of the injection needle or the electroporation needles.
In an additional embodiment, the raised portions, in a second instance, provide for a direction orientation for the needle being inserted therein, whether injection needle or electroporation needle. In a preferred embodiment, the bores are all aligned in a parallel direction in relation to one another.
In another embodiment, the discs can be manufactured according to a color, shape, or other visual code such that different colored, shaped or otherwise coded discs indicate that the disc is designed for a particular depth penetration using particular electroporation needle and injection needle types and lengths. Alternatively, the particular injection needle diameter and length as well as the needle electrode lengths and diameters in millimeters and gages, respectively, for example, can be printed directly on the invention guide.
In yet a further embodiment, the invention guide has orientation markers for use in connection with an electroporation device such that the markers on the guide assist in the orientation of the electroporation device relative to the electroporation needle bores so that the needles can be readily inserted into the bores with ease.
In a related embodiment, the upper end of the bores, whether the injection needle bore or the electroporation needle electrode bores, are funnel shaped to assist in the insertion of the needles into the bores. In this embodiment, the opening of the bores intended for acceptance of the tip of the injection and electrode needles have a larger diameter than the diameters of the needles.
In still further embodiments, the invention guide can be designed to provide for ensuring that the needle electrodes of an electroporation device can not be energized unless the electroporation device is fully inserted into the invention guide. In this aspect, full insertion, which allows for ensuring that the electrodes are properly placed in relation to the injected bolus, can be determined by at least three of the electrode stops abutting the substrate material in which the electrodes are mounted on the electroporation device. When at least three electrode stops of the invention guide are contacted (for electroporation device having at least three electrodes) with the electrode substrate, a signal is sent through the electroporation device allowing the electrodes to become energized upon demand. One of ordinary skill in the art can determine numerous mechanisms by which such contact can provide the required signal for allowing or disallowing an electrical signal to be imparted to the electrodes. In one example, for instance, an electrically conductive surface can be applied at the tips of the stops. When the conductive surface contacts with the electrode substrate near the base of the electrode, the electrical conductive surface completes a circuit between two electrical contacts on the electrode substrate which are situated to be contacted by the conductive stop tip. Completion of a circuit can be used as an electronic signal for allowing firing of the pulse to the electrodes.
In an alternate embodiment of the discoid substrate, only one stop must be contacted with the electroporation device in order to signal that the electroporation device has been fully inserted. In this aspect, the single contact is made using the stop for the injection needle. In a further related aspect, the stops for the electrodes must either be shorter than the injection needle stop, or the electroporation substrate holding the electrodes has an extension centrally located relative to the electrodes such that the tip of the extension can contact the injection bore stop with its electrically conductive tip when the electrodes are fully inserted into the invention guide. Other mechanical means can also be devised to accomplish the same goal of maintaining a safety mechanism of not firing the electrodes unless they are properly in place in the tissue. For example, in addition to relating full insertion with the ability of energizing the electrodes, full insertion can also be related to the contact of the invention guide to a safety shield which is itself a component of the electroporation device. In this embodiment, the invention guide can be designed to “lock” onto a portion of the safety shield, or alternatively a component of the invention guide can comprise an engagement stop which must properly fit the electroporation device safety shield to allow either or both of the safety shield to become disengaged and a pulse signal to the electroporation electrodes.
Other features will become apparent to the skilled artisan from the following description and claims.
FIGS. 39A-C show alternate embodiments of the guide disc.
In a first embodiment, the invention can comprise a handle component wherein said handle has various embodiments. For example, in one embodiment, as provided in
In another embodiment the handle component includes an upper receptacle in the form of an open-ended trough 16 of sufficient dimensions to accommodate the main body of a typical hypodermic syringe as shown in
In one embodiment, when the head is connected to the handle, a syringe carrying its own needle of appropriate dimensions is brought into proximity with the invention and in an alternative embodiment instead of a syringe connector as in
In still another embodiment, as shown in
In embodiments wherein the head connects to the handle at a 90 degree angle, the handle can include an aperture 104 which comprises a bore 105 that, when the head is attached to said handle, continues by direct connection thereto to the bore 25 of the central core support 21 of the head. The aperture 104 can either connect on a top side 106 of the handle to a closed channel 107 leading to a syringe connector 108 while on a bottom side 109 the bore 105 opening connects to a connector 110 for sealably connecting the end of the bore 25 on the handle side of the central core to the handle, said connector sufficient to seal the contact between the central core and the handle from leakage of fluids there between. Alternatively, the aperture 104 on the handle may, as depicted in
In still yet another embodiment, as depicted in
In still other embodiments, the head component need not include a retractable shield or syringe port but instead include a plurality of electrodes which may be guided into tissue using a discoid guide as depicted in
Turning now to the head component, in a first embodiment, as depicted in
As depicted in
Turning now to
In a further embodiment, as depicted in
In a further embodiment shallow surface semi-penetrating and penetrating electrodes are coated with gold which may be of a thickness between 0.5 and 20 microns. Gold coating provides for avoidance of toxic metallic contamination in the tissue from the act of energizing the electrodes.
Additionally, as shown in
In further embodiments using either needle electrodes and/or injection needle (whether connected directly to the injection port or attached directly to a syringe), the invention safety shield 50 can include on its terminal end a needle electrode direction guide 60 (see
In an alternate embodiment, the direction guide can comprise a modular component 200 separate from the safety shield but capable of interacting with the safety shield as shown in
In alternative embodiments, the discoid guide can be designed with features as disclosed in FIGS. 34 to 42. For example, in a first embodiment, the guide can comprise a planar discoid substrate 305 with a first and second surface and a plurality of throughholes bored therethrough. As shown in
In another embodiment, as shown in
As shown in
In use, the invention guide, as shown in
After injection of the bolus 311, the syringe and needle are removed from the guide and an electroporation device is properly oriented over the guide using orientation markers such as markers 306, and the electrodes are inserted into the electrode guides. The invention guide can contain electrode bores for any number of electrodes but typically, the guide has a multiplicity of bores for a geometrically arranged array of electrodes. Preferably, the bores can be arranged in a square, rectangle, circle or oval, hexagon, octagon, etc. and can include at least two electrode bores, three electrode bores, or four, five, six, seven or eight bores. Additionally, the bores may be arranged with respect to one another in any dimension but preferably spaced between 0.2 and 2.0 cm apart from the nearest electrode of opposite polarity.
As shown in
In further embodiments, the guide can support any number of electrode lengths and geometric configurations. As shown in
In a further related embodiment, the invention guide provides for a safety mechanism wherein the electrodes of the electroporation device cannot be pulsed with an electric signal unless the electrodes are “fully” inserted into the guide. In the first instance, full insertion ensures that the electric field generated by the electrodes is in proper orientation relative to the injected bolus. For example, as shown in
In a further embodiment, the invention guide can include, integral with portions of the substrate on the side containing the electrode stops, additional engagement elements for engaging a safety shield of the electroporation device incorporating such a shield when the invention guide is properly aligned with the electroporation device for insertion of the electrodes into the guide bores. In this embodiment, proper engagement is required for the safety shield to retract and allow the needles to be inserted into the guide. For example, as shown in
In still further related embodiment, the direction guides and orientation guides provide for the capability of ensuring that the delivery of fluid medium through the injection needle remain in a bolus within an area central to the needle electrodes. Such capability provides for consistent delivery of a therapeutic agent to the proper orientation with respect to the positioning of the electroporation electrodes.
In a further embodiment, the safety shield can be limited in the amount of travel it is allowed to retract. Such limitation can be brought about by stop 64 (see
Connected at the handle end of the central core support 21 is a safety shield guide 90 (see
In another embodiment, as shown in
The invention apparatus can include further embodiments including the capability of injecting a therapeutic agent from a syringe or a compressible vial by a fully- or semi-automated delivery and electrode activation system. For example, the handle can include a lever or other appropriate mechanical tensioner 130 designed to connect to the plunger of a syringe or a plunger built into the handle for pressing against the piston of a therapeutic containing vial such as depicted in FIGS. 11A-D. In such embodiment, the action of squeezing the trigger causes the plunger of either the syringe, or a plunger integral with the handle to force fluids out of the syringe or out of a vial and upon reaching a terminal point to which the trigger is squeezed, the electrode activation switch is activated and the electrodes are energized for electroporating the cells of the treated tissue. Alternatively, the mechanical squeezing of the lever arm to activate the tensioner can be replaced by an electronic actuator which moves the tensioner and following deployment of a fluid therapeutic agent from the syringe or vial, activates (i.e., energizes) the electrodes. For example, as shown in
In still further alternate embodiments, the head component can comprise means to connect directly to a hypodermic syringe as depicted in
On said first side of said substrate, i.e., the side opposite said second side, is a hypodermic syringe connector means 413. Said connector means 413 can be of any useful design for attaching the expulsion nipple of a typical syringe and/or hub of a hypodermic needle attached thereto to an extension 401 of the electrode substrate 400. The connector further comprises a bore for inserting said syringe nipple wherein said connector bore is in an open channel alignment with the bore of said substrate.
In another embodiment, the substrate is slidably engaged with a translucent or clear substantially cylindrical housing forming a safety shield 407. The shield and substrate are kept in place relative to one another by a locking cap 405 and keeper 406. The locking cap 405 is capable of locking the substrate 400 in a first and/or a second position relative to the shield by a rotation-based locking pin 403 and pin guide 404. Additionally, the substrate is kept from rotating within the translucent safety shield 407 by slide guides 408 comprising channels formed into the walls of the shield 407 and corresponding slide tabs 409 formed at the circumference of the substrate 400.
In other embodiments, the syringe connector 413 can comprise a syringe “snap” that keeps the syringe from disengaging the syringe connector.
In still another embodiment the safety shield 407 can include a needle guide at its end as described earlier herein comprising a plurality of bores, one for each electrode and hypodermic needle to assist the parallel trajectory of the electrodes and needle as they are forced into the patient tissue. Further still, the bores can be conical shaped to allow easy entrance of the electrode and needle tips into the guide bores.
In operation of the embodiment comprising a head that is directly connectable to a syringe, a user will prepare a syringe and needle with a volume of fluid containing a medicament. The electrical connector port 414 will be attached to a plug and wire leading to a source of electrical energy. The syringe will be inserted into the substrate bore 402 so that the nipple/needle butt removably connects with the syringe connector 413 on the substrate 400. This is followed by the user rotating the locking cap 405 to the “unlocked” position so that the substrate 400 can slide. The electrode assembly is then placed at the treatment zone on the patient tissue and the needles are slid through the guide bores in the end of the shield so as to allow the needles to penetrate into the patient tissue. The user can then inject the material from the syringe. If desired, the locking cap 405 can be rotated to lock the device in the “open” position with the needles still in the patient subject. If desired, the hypodermic needle can be removed from the assembly and the electrodes activated without the hypodermic being in the field of electric energy imparted by pulsing the electrodes. Alternatively, the hypodermic needle can be left in the field while the electrodes are pulsed. Finally, the assembly can be removed from the patient tissue and discarded.
The invention device has industrial applicability and use by veterminarians, biomedical researchers or in the clinic or office or in the field by physicians and provide for various manners of carrying out electroporation of patient tissues. For example, where non-penetrating or semi-penetrating electrodes are used, treatment may be carried out for local surface treatment by transcutaneous electroporation, i.e., the electric fields imparted by the pulse generator's energizing of the electrodes are generated external to the tissue to be treated although part of the electrical field must penetrate into the target tissue in order to effect electroporation. Generally, surface ailments, such as shallow lesions of cutaneous head and neck cancer and melanomas are accessible and subject to treatment using such electroporation method. Alternatively, where tissue penetrating electrodes are used, the electric field is generated within the tissue to be treated. Generally, treatment by generation of the electric filed internally allows for electroporation of subcutaneous and muscle and internal organ tissue.
In preferred embodiments, the device is useful for electroporation-based delivery of drugs for treating cancers, and for gene therapy. For example, uses for the invention include treatment of any ailment, condition or disease with DNA, RNA, or oligonucleotides of any composition and structure. Further, the device is useful for delivering vaccines comprising either protein or expressible nucleic acid constructs encoding proteins that are either active in a biologic, including metabolic, process or comprise antigens for generating an immune response. In such embodiments of use, the substances electroporated to a patient tissue are generally therapeutic agents. As used herein, a therapeutic agent can comprise a nucleic acid encoding a polypeptide or another nucleic acid e.g., for example, an RNA molecule, said nucleic acid encoding a polypeptide or other nucleic acid capable of expressing the peptide or the other nucleic acid encoded thereby in biologic cells. A therapeutic agent can further comprise drugs, small molecules, lipid bound molecules or anti cancer compounds.
In further embodiments, the outcome of gene expression level and degree of immunological activation in a subject tissue can be predetermined, generally, by the Voltage level applied, the dimensions of the electrode array chosen, and the pulse conditions, (i.e., number of pulses and duration of pulse).
As with other methods used for medical or veterinary treatments, or in medical research endeavors aimed at the development of such treatments, the two factors of greatest concern in the use of electroporation are safety and efficacy. The efficacy of electroporation in delivering a large variety of drugs and biological molecules, including nucleic acids and proteins, into biological cells has been extensively studied and documented. On the other hand, the safety and side-effects of electroporation have been studied to a much lesser extent and are less well understood. Known side-effects of electroporation include pain, muscle contractions, erythema and burns, the latter only in rare cases when surface electrodes were used. Histological effects of electroporation that vary with the particular target tissue include apoptosis, necrosis, inflammation, fibrosis and mild hemorrhage. Target tissues frequently subjected to electroporation for purposes of treatment or for the development of new treatments include solid tumors, muscle and skin. While tumors have been treated extensively with chemotherapeutic drugs delivered directly to tumor cells by electroporation, normal muscle and skin tissue have been of particular interest as target tissues for gene therapy and DNA vaccination. For cancer gene therapy DNA has also been injected intratumorally in some animal experiments. In therapeutic applications, the goal is to minimize side effects while maximizing the therapeutic effects. One of the potentially most serious side effects in gene therapy is the triggering of an immune response against the transgene product, which not only may render the therapeutic transgene product ineffective, but could also be life-threatening to the patient, or prevent future therapy with the “recombinant” therapeutic gene product manufactured in cell culture due to sensitization of the immune system to said product, for example.
As mentioned, one of the side effects caused by electroporation is local tissue inflammation, which enhances anti-transgene immune responses generated as a result of the inflammatory response. Therefore, for gene therapy applications, inflammation needs to be minimized. On the other hand, some degree of inflammation is actually desirable in DNA vaccination applications to increase the efficacy of the immune response. In determining the parameters responsible for the severity of the inflammatory response, we found we were able to customize the inflammatory response elicited by electroporation depending on the intended purpose. For example, in using electroporation of muscle tissue for the delivery of DNA encoding the blood clotting agent Factor IX, for the treatment of hemophilia B, inflammation needs to be minimized. Conversely, for vaccination with a potent antigen, a low degree of inflammation may be optimal, while for a less potent antigen a higher degree of inflammation may be desirable.
In a study described in Example 3, experiment 1, various numbers of pulses of various voltages and field strengths were delivered with 6-needle arrays inserted percutaneously into muscle tissue of pigs. Prior to electroporation, the treatment site was either injected with saline or the anticancer drug bleomycin. Histological changes of the treated tissues were evaluated on day one after treatment and at different intervals up to 40 days post treatment. The results are presented extensively in Example 3. Table 5, section A, highlights a small portion of those data which illustrate an important finding of this study. Three different sized needle electrode arrays (i.e., 0.5, 1.0, and 1.35 cm diameter) were energized with different voltages (560 to 1500 V) resulting in similar minimal field strengths (approximately 1111 to 1302 V/cm). Whereas the application of 560 V and 1130 V did not result in significant muscle inflammation under the experimental conditions, the application of 1500 V did clearly evoke muscle inflammation. We concluded from this result that the applied voltage, or a factor related to the applied voltage is a determinant for the degree of histological changes induced by electroporation, and that field strength within the ranges tested is not a determinant. This conclusion, which is consistent with the other data presented in Example 3, is important because the effectiveness of the electroporation event, i.e., causing the cells to become porous to the injected therapeutic agent, depends on the field strength and not on the applied voltage. However, a certain minimal field strength (threshold value) is required for electroporation to occur). Thus, separating the effect of the field strength (i.e., electroporation efficiency) from the effect of the voltage, or voltage related function (i.e., histological change including inflammation), the effect of the field strength which relates to electroporation efficiency. In deciphering the distinction between Voltage and field strength we are able to manipulate, within limits, the degree of histological changes and inflammation, while maintaining high-efficiency electroporation and therefore higher levels of gene expression.
In Table 5, section B, selected data of Example 3, experiment 2, are presented. Animals were injected intramuscularly with DNAs coding for two antigens, glycoprotein D of BHV-1 and HBVs Ag. After injection, the treatment sites were electroporated using either 100V or 200 V, with all other experimental parameters kept constant. The animals electroporated with the lower voltage displayed a lower degree of muscle inflammation than the animals electroporated with the higher voltage. The immune response to glycoprotein D, a potent antigen, was greater with the higher voltage treatment than with the lower voltage treatment, although the levels of antigen expression were similar in both cases. This finding supports the conclusion and prediction derived from the data in section A of Table 5 and Example 3, experiment 1, namely, that higher voltages cause greater inflammation and greater stimulation of the immune response than lower voltages.
n.d. = not done
Further, section C of Table 5 discloses data described more extensively in Example 1. Gene expression was determined using two needle array electrodes of 0.5 and 1.0 cm diameter, respectively, and applying voltages of 100 and 200 V, respectively, which resulted in equal nominal field strengths of 233 V/cm in both cases. All other experimental parameters were kept constant. The result shows that under both electroporation conditions essentially the same level of gene expression was obtained. This finding supports the notion that at equal field strengths, electroporation efficiency is the same, within limits, although the applied voltage differed by a factor of two. As stated above, the applied voltage, or a function related to the applied voltage, appears to be the main determinant of the degree of histological changes, including inflammation. When the amount of energy of various electroporation pulses is calculated using the formula:
W=V2/R×t×N,
where W is the energy in Joules (J), V is the voltage applied in Volts, R is the resistance of the tissue in Ohms, t is the duration of the pulse in seconds, and N is the number of pulses applied, the correlation of the degree of histological changes, including inflammation, with the amount of energy applied, is even better than the correlation with the voltage (Table 5, sections A and B). Thus, the pulse duration and pulse number also influence the degree of histological changes, although only in a linear fashion, whereas the energy delivered, and the histological changes elicited, increase with the square of the applied voltage. Therefore, voltage appears to be the most important but not the sole factor to control when histological changes and inflammation are to be manipulated. Correspondingly, the invention device further allows for its use in a predetermined outcome of the level of gene expression, the level of inflammatory response, and the strength of the immune response by choosing appropriate electropoation pulse parameters. The field strength determines electroporation efficiency and thereby the uptake of the agent into the cell, and thus, eventually, the effect of the agent within the cell (e.g., cytotoxicity in the case of an anticancer drug, and gene expression in the case of DNA, respectively). The energy delivered determines the degree of histological changes, including inflammation, which strongly influences the effectiveness of the immune response (e.g., enhancement of immunological anti-tumor responses in the case of tumor electroporation, and anti-transgene product responses in the case of gene delivery into muscle).
Further, field strength at constant voltage can be manipulated by sizing the electrode appropriately. For example, if a low field strength and high voltage is desired, the distance between negative and positive electrodes will be relatively long. Delivered energy can be manipulated by adjusting voltage, pulse length and number of pulses at a given tissue resistance. The same amount of energy can be delivered by pulses of different voltage, number, and duration. The choice of these parameters also influences electroporation efficiency and histological changes. For example, for the delivery of DNA, pulse durations of less than approximately 10 milliseconds are relatively inefficient, whereas short pulses in the range of 0.1 milliseconds are effective in the delivery of low molecular weight drugs and small peptides.
Other factors which also may play roles of various importance in manipulating electroporation efficiency and histological changes include, but are not limited to, needle electrode diameter, pulse frequency, electrode surface composition and the structure, composition and electrical conductivity of the target tissue. For example, pulse frequency (i.e., the time interval between individual pulses) influences the degree of changes occurring in the interstitial space and in cells close to the electrode surface. The changes are greater when pulses are delivered at high frequency, presumably because the tissue is given less time to recover between pulses. For example, we have observed that the electrical current that flows between needle electrodes inserted into muscle decreases significantly with every subsequent pulse if the frequency is relatively high (e.g., about 4 Hz), but decreases to a much lesser extent when the frequency is low (e.g., about 0.5 Hz or less).
Utility of an electroporation device such as the current invention is demonstrated by the following Examples which exhibit that elements of the invention device provide for efficient and patent friendly outcome.
The electrode array can have a diameter of between 0.2 and 2.0 cm. With respect to electrode arrays having either a 0.5 or a 1.0 cm diameter, an experiment was performed showing that a nucleic acid sequence encoding secreted alkaline phosphotase (SEAP), following injection of said nucleic acid and electroporation, was expressed equally in the treated tissue of subject rat muscle using either 0.5 cm or 1.0 cm electrode arrays at equal nominal field strengths. (See
Experimental Conditions:
These results show that electroporation can be performed with electrode arrays comprising electrodes in an array, and injection of a substance, particularly a nucleic acid encoding a gene, between the electrodes of the array, as described for the invention modular head component, thereby providing substantial enhancement of uptake of said substance into the cells and resulting in enhanced gene expression (approximately higher than 90 fold over control).
In this example, an experiment was performed to test whether an electroporation device, using electrodes and pulse parameters of which the invention device is capable, can be used on a patient without an anesthetic. For example, electroporation-mediated drug delivery to tumors is commonly performed under general anesthesia (e.g., for head and neck tumors) or local anesthesia (e.g., for cutaneous malignancies). Because it is important for a patient to be able to tell their physician of adverse affects caused by any given treatment, which ability would be impaired under anesthesia, and because in an out-patient setting such as in a physicians office, vaccinations should be performed quickly and easily as well as safely for the patient, anesthesia should be avoided, if possible. This is particularly important for DNA vaccination and gene therapy applications where repeated administration of DNA may be necessary to sustain gene expression. However, it was unknown whether EP of muscle tissue, without anesthesia, is tolerable and safe in humans. To evaluate the safety and the pain sensation associated with EP of muscle tissue using needle electrodes we initiated a study in healthy volunteers to evaluate the pain associated with EP to muscle tissue.
Subjects
Five healthy adult men, ranging from 40 to 62 (mean 50) years of age, participated in the study.
Study Design
Screening and Enrollment. Subjects were screened for eligibility to participate in the study. During the screening visit (day −14 to 0), subjects' baseline vital signs (temperature, blood pressure, pulse, and respiration) were measured, and medical history and concurrent medications were recorded.
Electroporation Device. Electroporation of the muscle was performed using a pulse generator and a linear handle type apparatus as shown in
Procedures. Procedures were administered at Day 1. Two procedures were administered to each subject (Table 1). No anesthetic, drug, or nucleic acid was administered in either procedure.
*DDS = DNA Delivery System
Procedures were performed and results recorded as follows: Procedure 1 was initiated by cleaning the skin at the test site with isopropyl alcohol. A 0.5 cm 4-NA was inserted percutaneously into the deltoid muscle of the left arm. The pain score associated with the insertion of the array was determined by the subject and was recorded immediately. Then, two 60-ms electrical pulses of 100 V were delivered at 4 Hz using the pulse generator. The pain score was determined by the subject and was recorded immediately. Any physical response to either the insertion of the array or the EP pulses was recorded by the physician. Procedure 2 was administered only if Procedure 1 was tolerated, as determined by the subject. Procedure 2 was analogous to Procedure 1, except that the array was a 1.0 cm sized array and was inserted into the deltoid muscle of the right arm and the voltage of the pulses was 200 V.
Post-Procedure Assessment. Subjects were required to visit the investigator's office 24 hours and 30 days after the procedures to monitor any local and/or systemic adverse reaction and to monitor potential long-term pain.
Endpoint Measurements
Pain Assessment. Pain scores were measured using a numeric scale consisting of a 10 cm line with “no pain” written at one end and the “worst imaginable pain” written at the other end (
Safety Assessment. The pain at the EP site and any local and/or systemic adverse reaction were monitored by the physician or nurse on Day 1, as well as 24 hours and 30 days post-procedures. Pain scores and adverse events, if any, were to be recorded in the Case Report Form.
Pain Assessment. Pain scores for each procedure were plotted as the mean±standard error of the mean (SEM). Due to the limited number of subjects, statistical analysis was performed using the Student's t-test to compare the pain scores from different procedures.
Safety Assessment. All subjects were included in the safety analysis. Adverse events, if any, were to be graded according to the NCI Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events v3.0. There was no local nor systemic adverse event and no pain reported by any of the subjects 24 hours and 30 days after the procedures.
Results
Pain Scores
The pain scores determined by the subjects are summarized in Table 2 and
*p = 0.004, one-tail and paired t-test comparing EP-4NA-1.0 and Insert-4NA-1.0.
**p = 0.01, one-tail and unpaired t-test comparing EP-4NA-1.0 and EP-4NA-0.5.
In 4 out of the 5 subjects, insertion of the 0.5 cm or the 1.0 cm needle electrodes into the muscle caused only mild or discomforting pain, while one subject found the pain somewhat distressing (score 5). Delivery of the 100 V pulses through the 0.5 cm array caused mild pain in one subject, discomforting pain in 2 subjects, and somewhat distressing pain in 2 other subjects. Pulses of 200 V delivered through the 1.0 cm 4-NA elicited discomforting pain in one subject and distressing pain in another subject, while 3 subjects rated the pain as horrible. Thus, while the insertion of either needle array and the delivery of 100 V pulses via the 0.5 cm 4-NA were given mean pain scores ranging from 2.8 to 3.8 (mild to discomforting), the delivery of 200 V pulses via the 1.0 cm 4-NA resulted in a mean pain score of 6.4. The mean pain score for EP via the 1.0 cm 4-NA at 200 V was the highest among all procedures. The difference between the mean pain score related to the 1 cm array (200 V) and the score related to the 0.5 cm array (100 V) is significant (P<0.01). The difference between the mean pain score related to the electroporation with the 1 cm array (200 V) and the score related to the insertion of 1 cm array is also significant (P<0.004).
These results showed that, overall, EP settings for DNA delivery to the muscle using a needle array is safe (no adverse events) and tolerable to subjects when administered without anesthesia. The study also shows that 100 V pulses delivered via a 0.5 cm array causes less pain than 200 V pulses delivered via a 1.0 cm array. These results are in agreement with the fact that voltage (and therefore current) influences the sensation of pain elicited by electric stimuli: as the voltage increases (and current too), pain also increases. However, keeping with the benefits of the current invention, the range approximately of 0.3 to 2.0 cm diameter arrays are capable of application in a clinical setting.
Additionally, whereas strong muscle contractions have been observed during EP-mediated drug delivery to internal tumors in patients under any of general anesthesia, conscious sedation, or local anesthesia, in this study, without using anesthesia, we only observed minor muscle twitches (no limb movement), which were neither disturbing to the subjects nor interfering with the procedures. The difference is almost certainly due to the different voltages applied, i.e., 100 or 200 V in this study, versus 500 to 1500 V for intratumoral drug delivery.
In accordance with embodiments of the invention, the dimensions of the electrode array, particularly needle electrode arrays, when used in concert with pulsing parameters comprising particular voltages, allows for electroporation of body tissues at lower voltages (V) while maintaining field strengths (V/cm) that are higher and that additionally provide for an effective level of tissue/immune stimulation not possible at low voltages. In other words, as mentioned above, where voltages used are high, body tissues may be adversely affected such that there could be over stimulation of the tissue leading to damage caused by inflammatory immune reactions induced by the electroporation pulse at the site of electroporation.
In one aspect, needle electrode arrays having a diameter, or distance between the electrodes of about 0.5 cm and used in electroporation of patient tissue at a voltage of equal to or greater than 100V, results in an effective electric field strength of 200+ V/cm. By keeping the applied voltage low, e.g., lower than about 150 Volts, tissue damage can be kept low yet the field strength can remain high (V/cm) without an appreciable detrimental effect on the tissue. In this aspect, therefore, voltage levels can be manipulated easily to bring about a predetermined field strength and tissue damage combination that is predeterminable for programming into the electroporation scheme the degree of tissue damage desired for a directly related level of immune response.
For the immediate example, a study was performed to evalulate the toxicity and side effects of EP on normal porcine skin and underlying skeletal muscles using different voltages and electrode arrays of different dimensions.
Histopathologic Examination. Section of skin and underlying skeletal muscles were collected and processed by routine histologic techniques and stained with Hematoxylin and Eosin. Each sample was evaluated for the following histopathologic changes:
Muscle necrosis. Score 5 was given when all cells in most fields in the section examined were in advanced necrosis. Score 4 was given when most cells in numerous fields in the section examined were in advanced necrosis. Score 3 was given when many cells in some fields in the section examined were in early to advanced necrosis. Score 2 was given when some cells in a few fields in the section examined were in early to advanced necrosis. Score 1 was given when a few cells in a rare field in the section examined were in early necrosis. Score 0 was given when no necrosis was found in the section.
Muscle inflammation and subcutaneous inflammation: Score 5 was given when numerous, densely packed inflammatory cells were found in most fields in the section examined. Score 4 was given when numerous, inflammatory cells were found in many fields in the section examined. Score 3 was given when many inflammatory cells were found in some of the fields in the section examined. Score 2 was given when inflammatory cells were found in a few of the fields in the section examined. Score 1 was given when inflammatory cells were found in a rare field in the section examined. Score 0 was given when no inflammatory cells were found in the section.
Muscle hemorrhage: Score 5 was given when numerous, densely packed extravasated red blood cells were found in most fields in the section examined. Score 4 given when numerous extravasated red blood cells were found in many fields in the section examined. Score 3 was given when many extravasated red blood cells were found in some of the fields examined. Score 2 was given when some extravasated red blood cells were found in a few of the fields examined. Score 1 was given when a few extravasated red blood cells were found in a rare field in the section examined. Score 0 was given when no extravasated red blood cells were found in the section.
Musclefibrosis: Score 5 was given when 70-100% of the muscle tissue was replaced by granulation tissue or mature fibrous in most fields in the section examined. Score 4 was given when 50-69% of the muscle tissue was replaced by granulation tissue or mature fibrous in many fields in the section examined. Score 3 was given when 30-49% of the muscle tissue was replaced by granulation tissue or mature fibrous in some fields in the section examined. Score 2 was given when 1-29% of the muscle tissue was replaced by granulation tissue or mature fibrous in a few of the fields examined. Score 1 was given when less than 1% of the muscle tissue was replaced by granulation tissue or mature fibrous in rare fields in the section examined. Score 0 was given when no granulation tissue or mature fibrous tissue was found in the section.
Epidermal damage: This included erosion to ulceration and/or crusting of the epidermis with inflammatory cells infiltrating the epidermis and adjacent subcutis. Score 5 was never given to any section in this study but was reserved for cases with ulceration of the epidermis and inflammatory cell infiltration involving several fields. Score 4 was given when there was ulceration of the epidermis and inflammatory cell infiltration involving one or two fields and extended into the dermis. Score 3 was given when there was deep erosion of the epidermis and/or inflammatory cell infiltration but restricted to the epidermis. Score 2 was given when there was erosion of the epidermis with or without inflammatory cell infiltration. Score 1 superficial erosion affecting only a few cells in the epidermis. Score 0 was given when no epidermal changes were found.
Factors evaluated: Electric pulse cycles (0-8 pulse cycles); Needle array diameter (0.5, 1.0, and 1.35 cm); Voltage: 0.5 cm and 560V, 0.5 cm and 672 V, 1 cm and 1130 V, 1.35 cm and 1500V).
Results
The morphologic changes found in this study included muscle necrosis, muscle inflammation, muscle hemorrhage, muscle fibrosis, epidermal damage, epidermal inflammation and subcutaneous inflammation.
Electric Pulse Cycles: The effect of the number of electric pulse cycles upon the severity of muscle necrosis is complex. While the severity of histological changes increased with the number of pulse cycles applied (P<0.0001), the effect varied depending on the day in which samples were taken (
The interaction between time after treatment and number of pulse cycles is also statistically significant (P<0.03). This means that the magnitude of the difference in severity scores between sections treated with various numbers of pulse cycles vary with time after treatment. To better study the impact of increased numbers of pulse cycles on severity of necrosis, a statistical analysis was applied to data from days 1 and 5. The difference in severity of muscle necrosis between these tow days was not significant (P>0.6), while the severity increased with the number of pulse cycles applied (P<0.0001). Comparing muscle necrosis in different pulse groups by Student's t test, it was found that there was no difference in the necrosis in sections receiving 2, 4, and 8 pulse cycles. But severity scores were higher in these (receiving 2, 4, and 8 pulse cycles) than in sections receiving 1 pulse cycle (P<0.05) and these in turn had more severe histological changes than sections receiving no electrical treatment (P<0.05).
Regression analysis using the number of pulse cycles as a continuous variable in these two days further supported the interpretation that the severity of histological change increased with the umber of pulse cycles used (P<0.001), even if the effect seemed to plateau after 4 pulse cycles.
Needle Array Diameter: The effect of the diameter of the needle array used upon the severity of muscle histological change is similar but independent of the effect of the number of pulse cycles applied (interaction between needle array and electric pulse cycles was not significant (P>0.06). While the severity of histological change seemed to increase with the diameter of the needle array used (
To simplify the study of the effect of needle array on muscle necrosis, days 10, 20, and 40 were excluded from the following analysis. In this analysis, it was shown that the effect of the diameter of the needle array used was highly significant (P<0.001) but there was no difference in severity scores between the days 1 and 5. By Student's t test it was found that the severity scores were highest in sections treated with the 1.35 cm needle arrays and that those scores were significantly different from the scores of sections treated with the 1 and 0.5 cm needle arrays (P<0.05). There was no difference in the severity scores of sections treated with 0.5 cm and 1 cm needle arrays (P>0.05). By comparison, scores in sections not treated with electroporation were negligible (P>0.05).
Regression analysis using the needle array diameter (independent variable) as a continuous variable on days 1 and 5 further supported the interpretation that the severity of changes (dependent variable) increased with the needle array diameter (P<0.001).
Voltage: Generally, all sections treated with a specific needle array received a corresponding voltage. However, sections treated with the 0.5 cm needle array received either 560V or 672 V. A multifactorial analysis of variance showed that muscle necrosis was statistically more severe in sections treated with 672 V than with 560 V (P<0.05) and that this effect was independent of the treatment and the time after treatment.
Electric Pulse Cycles: The effect of the number of electric pulse cycles upon the severity of muscle inflammation is shown in
To better study the impact of increased number of pulse cycles on the severity of inflammation, a statistical analysis was applied to data from day 5 only. The severity of this lesion increased with the number of pulse cycles applied (P<0.0001). By comparison of the muscle necrosis in different pulse groups by Student's t test, it was found that there was no difference in the necrosis in sections receiving 2, 3, and 8 pulses cycles. But severity scores were more severe in these (receiving 2, 3, and 8 pulse cycles) than in section receiving 1 pulse (P<0.05) and these in turn had more severe changes than sections receiving no electrical treatment (P<0.05).
Needle array diameter: The effect of the diameter of the needle array used upon the severity of the muscle inflammation is shown in
The severity of this lesion increased with the diameter of the needle array (P<0.0001). By Student's t test, it was found that there was no difference in the muscle inflammation in sections treated with needle arrays of diameter 0.5 and 1.0 cm. but severity scores were larger in sections treated with needle arrays of 1.35 cm in diameter (p<0.05) and smaller in sections receiving no electrical treatment (P<0.05).
Muscle Hemorrhage: Hemorrhage was commonly associated with areas of necrosis. The hemorrhage was usually well circumscribed and appeared to reflect the severity of the necrosis. Hemorrhage was only rarely found on day one, presumably because it developed after the necrosis was advanced.
Electric Pulse Cycles: The effect of the number of electric pulse cycles upon the severity of muscle hemorrhage is shown in
Needle Array Diameter: The effect of the diameter of the needle array used upon the severity of the muscle hemorrhage is shown in
Fibrosis: Immature mesenchymal cells were found in muscle lesions starting at 5 days after treatment, but reduced in severity from moderate to mild subsequently (10 days).
Electric pulse Cycles: The effect of the number of electric pulse cycles upon the severity of muscle fibrosis is shown in
The severity of fibrosis increased with the number of pulse cycles applied. By Student's t test it was found that the severity of hemorrhage was greater in sections treated with more than 2 pulse cycles than the severity of hemorrhage in sections treated with 1 pulse or none at all (P<0.05).
Needle Array Diameter: The effect of the diameter of the needle array used upon the severity of the muscle fibrosis is shown in
Electric Pulse Cycles: The effect of the number of pulse cycles upon this change was not significant (P>0.24,
Needle Array: The effect of the diameter of the needle array used upon this change was significant (P<0.01),
Epidermal Inflammation: This lesion was characterized by a mild sub-epidermal inflammatory infiltrate directly below the erosion or ulceration of the epidermis described above.
Histological changes were not significantly affected by the number of pulse cycles used (P>0.5) or by the needle array used) P<0.5). The changes were more severe in treatment solution containing bleomycine vs. saline (P<0.05). The changes also varied significantly with the time after treatment, being most significant on the first day after treatment (P<0.0001).
The histologic change was significantly affected by the number of pulse cycles used (P<0.0004),
Discussion
Histologic changes in the form of lesions associated with electroporation and treatment, such as bleomycin, in the skin and subcutis of pigs included severe muscle necrosis, inflammation and fibrosis, mild hemorrhage, mild subcutaneous inflammation and mild to minimal epidermal damage. Severe, but circumscribed lesions were found on days 1 to 10 after treatment, but subsided by day 20 and 40.
Statistical evaluation of the complex interactions of factors studied in this experiment revealed that the effect of the diameter of the needle array and the corresponding voltage used, the number of electric pulse cycles applied and the treatment solution itself, has significant and independent effect upon the lesions found in the subcutaneous muscles. This effect was transitory and lesions were reversed by the 40th day after treatment.
In general the muscle lesions were more severe in sections receiving 2, 4, and 8 pulse cycles than in sections receiving 1 pulse or no electrical treatment. Further, lesions were most severe in sections treated with the 1.35 cm needle array, followed by sections treated with 0.5 and 1 cm needle array, and least severe in sections receiving no electrical treatment. In sections treated with 0.5 cm needle arrays, those receiving 672 V had more severe necrosis than those receiving 560 V. The lack of statistical interaction between number of pulse cycles, needle array diameter, voltage and the treatment solution suggests that all these factors act independently to cause the lesions found and that they may have additive effects.
The epithelial damage and inflammation were mild and likely due to the acute penetration of the needle array through the skin. Interestingly, while the number of electric pulse cycles had no significant effect upon the severity of this lesion, the effect of the diameter of the needle array was significant, being more severe in sections treated with the needle arrays of larger diameters. A direct and temporary toxic effect of bleomycin upon the epidermis is possible, as indicated by the finding. The transitory nature of the lesion indicates that it has low biological impact, other than for the immune stimulation provided thereby.
The subcutaneous inflammation is only a mild change, compared to the lesions found in the subcutaneous muscle, and it is affected by the same factors, namely number of pulse cycles, needle array diameter and blemomycin treatment. Contrary to other findings, this lesion was most significant on days 10 and 20 after treatment. The reason for this is obscure, but because of the relatively mild severity of the lesion, its biological impact is questionable as well.
Another study was carried out in pigs using lower voltages than those above in Experiment 1. Here, plasmid nucleic acid encoding two different antigens were used, namely bovine herpes virus 1 (BHV-1) glycoprotein D gene (gD), a membrane protein and highly immunogenic antigen, and a plasmid expressing hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) which assembles into a 22 nm particle. This allowed a comparison of immune responses to membrane bound and particulate antigens in a single animal. The study also provides data showing that at the lower voltage ranges of between 100 and 200 Volts, there are statistically significant differences in the amount of stimulation of the target immune system. Table 3 lists the different test groups and voltages and pulses applied.
*Plasmids were mixed together in 500 ul PBS and administered in one intramuscular injection on days 0 and 28 on opposite sides.
At two-week time points, blood was collected and serum was obtained following centrifugation. Anti-hepatitis B surface antibodies were measured and quantification in milli-international units/ml was performed in parallel. Titers of anti-BHV-1 neutralizing antibody in sera were determined and expressed as the highest dilution of serum that caused a 50% reduction of the number of viral plaques compared to the untreated virus control.
For measurement of cellular responses, porcine blood was collected and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were isolated by techniques well established in the biomedical arts. Proliferation of gradient-purified cells was measured. For histological examination, muscle samples were obtained from all injection sites using an 8 mm punch, immediately following euthanasia of the test pigs. From pigs immunized with gD and HBsAg DNA, the injection sites of both the primary immunization and the contra-lateral secondary immunization were sampled at 6 and 2 weeks respectively.
Results
Prior to any DNA immunization experiments, gene expression and inflammatory cell infiltration were assessed in quadriceps muscle under the electroporation conditions described in Table 4. Using the luciferase reporter gene, gene expression was determined for each treatment. Pretreatment with electroporation (Group 2) did not significantly change gene expression compared to plasmid administered without electroporation (Group 1). In contrast, different electroporation parameters administered immediately following plasmid administration all increased gene expression similarly in all groups (Groups 3-5) given electroporation.
As indicated in Table 4, groups 3 and 5 show that tissue damage after a 100 V treatment is statistically lower than after the use of 200 Volts for the same pulsing parameters.
Histological examination was carried out for each treatment on tissue from the injection sites sampled 48 hr following administration of luciferase encoding plasmid. Plasmid administered without any electroporation (Group 1) caused a mild inflammatory response, assessed by the amount of blue (nuclear) staining, and consisted primarily of macrophages and neutrophils. Electroporation conditions of 200 V/20 ms/6 pulses (Groups 2 and 4) and 200 V/60 ms/2 pulses (Group 5) caused muscle necrosis in addition to severe inflammation (marked influx of macrophages and neutrophils), whereas electroporation conditions of 100 V/20 ms/2 pulses (Group 3) resulted in muscle necrosis with moderate to severe infiltration of macrophages and neutrophils. In all groups treated with electroporation (Groups 2-5), scattered muscle fibers showed degeneration characterized by mildly increased eosinophilia and reduction in diameter.
With respect to immune responses, Glycoprotein D-specific antibody responses were determined by BHV-1 neutralization assay. Immunization with plasmid without electroporation (Group 1), conditions that give low gene expression and low cellular infiltration, elicited the lowest number, of animals, only 2/6, achieving a neutralization titer of greater or equal to 32. Animals treated with electroporation one hour prior to plasmid administration (Group 2), showed low gene expression with high cellular infiltration, with similar BHV-1 neutralization antibody responses to Group 2 as shown in
Although gD-specific proliferation responses were not significantly different between the experimental groups as shown in
To determine if Th1-like responses were obtained, lymphocytes from immunized pigs were assessed for production of IFN-gamma. DNA immunization with a gD-encoding plasmid stimulated gD-specific interferon gamma secreting cells suggesting a Th1 response, supporting previous reports that DNA vaccines polarize the response towards a Th1-like or balanced response. However, all immunization conditions elicited similar numbers of gD-specific IFN gamma secreting cells.
Immune responses to HBsAg were determined using a clinical ELISA test as shown in
Further, muscle biopsies from animals 2 weeks following the second immunization carried out at day 28 in conjunction with electroporation (Groups 2-5) were examined and showed a greater degree of cellular infiltration than those from animals that received no electroporation (Group 1), (data not provided). In animals treated with electroporation at the time of plasmid administration (Groups 3-5), the cellular infiltration at 2 weeks following the second immunization consisted primarily of aggregates of lymphoblasts surrounding small vessels within the muscle, whereas in animals treated with electroporation prior to plasmid administration, the mild cellular infiltration consisted predominantly of macrophages and neutrophils.
These data provide evidence that electroporation provides for not only enhanced gene expression but also an enhancement of immune responses that can be predetermined and “controlled” for an intended outcome. For example, the inflammatory cell infiltration was demonstrated to be an important component for enhancing immune responses to DNA vaccines since prior treatment with electroporation enhanced immune responses to the HBsAg DNA vaccine but did not increase gene expression. However, the increase in gene expression caused by electroporation is absolutely critical for inducing protective immune responses as demonstrated using the gD DNA vaccine. That the level of antigen produced is critical in the induction of immune responses to DNA vaccines was illustrated previously. Generation of antibody titers that would be considered protective in humans from hepatitis B could be achieved in 100% of animals, under electoporation conditions of 200 V/20 ms/6 pulses and using two administration sites of 500 ug pHBsAg for the primary and secondary immunization. In the current study, with only one administration site of 500 ug pHBsAg for the primary and secondary immunization, the number of animals with titers considered protective was reduced to 66%. Thus, the mechanism by which electroporation enhances immune responses to DNA vaccines is a combination of increased gene expression and increased inflammation with cellular infiltration.
Although the foregoing has been described in detail by way of illustration and example, it will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the electroporation arts in light of the disclosure that other variations can be envisaged with respect to the above invention embodiments without leaving the scope and spirit of the claims.
This application claims the benefit of and priority to each of co-owned U.S. provisional patent application No. 60/584,816, filed 30 Jun. 2004, U.S. provisional patent application No. 60/588,014, filed 13 Jul. 2004, and U.S. provisional patent application No. 60/601,925, filed 16 Aug. 2005, each of the same title as this application, and each of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety for all purposes.
Number | Date | Country | |
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60584816 | Jun 2004 | US | |
60588014 | Jul 2004 | US | |
60601925 | Aug 2004 | US |