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.