Visualization of Brain Tumors with Infrared-Labeled Aptamers for Fluorescence-Guided Surgery

Gliomas remain challenging brain tumors to treat due to their infiltrative nature. Accurately identifying tumor boundaries during surgery is crucial for successful resection. This study introduces an innovative intraoperative visualization method utilizing surgical fluorescence microscopy to precisely locate tumor cell dissemination. Here, the focus is on the development of a novel contrasting agent (IR-Glint) for intraoperative visualization of human glial tumors comprising infrared-labeled Glint aptamers. The specificity of IR-Glint is assessed using flow cytometry and microscopy on primary cell cultures. In vivo effectiveness is studied on mouse and rabbit models, employing orthotopic xenotransplantation of human brain gliomas with various imaging techniques, including PET/CT, in vivo fluorescence visualization, confocal laser scanning, and surgical microscopy. The experiments validate the potential of IR-Glint for the intraoperative visualization of gliomas using infrared imaging. IR-Glint penetrates the blood-brain barrier and can be used for both intravenous and surface applications, allowing clear visualization of the tumor. The surface application directly to the brain reduces the dosage required and mitigates potential toxic effects on the patient. The research shows the potential of infrared dye-labeled aptamers for accurately visualizing glial tumors during brain surgery. This novel aptamer-assisted fluorescence-guided surgery (AptaFGS) may pave the way for future advancements in the field of neurosurgery.