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Fluorescent peptides highlight peripheral nerves during surgery in mice.

Michael A Whitney¹, Jessica L Crisp, Linda T Nguyen

¹Department of Pharmacology, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA.

Nature Biotechnology

|February 8, 2011

Summary

Researchers developed a novel peptide probe that illuminates peripheral nerves for enhanced surgical visualization. This fluorescent nerve-targeting agent improves surgical safety by clearly delineating nerves, reducing the risk of accidental injury.

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Area of Science:

Biomedical Engineering
Molecular Imaging
Surgical Navigation

Background:

Nerve preservation is critical in surgery to prevent morbidity like numbness and paralysis.
Current nerve identification methods (visual inspection, electromyography) can miss thin or buried nerves.

Purpose of the Study:

To develop a novel molecular probe for preferential nerve targeting and visualization.
To assess the safety and efficacy of this probe in preclinical and human tissue models.

Main Methods:

Phage display was used to select a peptide with high affinity for nerve tissue.
A fluorescently labeled version of the peptide was systemically administered to mice.
Nerve visualization, contrast enhancement, and duration of signal were evaluated.

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Toxicity was assessed through behavioral and activity monitoring.

Probe performance was validated in human tissue samples.

Main Results:

The peptide probe clearly delineated all peripheral nerves within 2 hours post-injection in mice.
Achieved up to tenfold contrast enhancement between nerve and surrounding tissue.
Useful contrast persisted for up to 8 hours.
No observable adverse effects on behavior or activity were noted, indicating good safety.
Successful nerve labeling was demonstrated in human tissue samples.

Conclusions:

The developed peptide probe offers a highly effective method for real-time nerve visualization during surgery.
Its ability to highlight nerves regardless of axonal integrity supports its use in surgical repair and injury prevention.
This molecular imaging approach has the potential to significantly improve surgical outcomes and patient safety.