Fluorescently labeled peptide increases identification of degenerated facial nerve branches during surgery and improves functional outcome.
Nerve degeneration after transection injury decreases intraoperative visibility under white light (WL), complicating surgical repair. We show here that the use of fluorescently labeled nerve binding probe (F-NP41) can improve intraoperative visualization of chronically (up to 9 months) denervated nerves. In a mouse model for the repair of chronically denervated facial nerves, the intraoperative use of fluorescent labeling decreased time to nerve identification by 40% compared to surgeries performed under WL alone. Cumulative functional post-operative recovery was also significantly improved in the fluorescence guided group as determined by quantitatively tracking of the recovery of whisker movement at time intervals for 6 weeks post-repair. To our knowledge, this is the first description of an injectable probe that increases visibility of chronically denervated nerves during surgical repair in live animals. Future translation of this probe may improve functional outcome for patients with chronic denervation undergoing surgical repair.
Division of Head and Neck Surgery, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America.
Timon
T
Hussain
Division of Head and Neck Surgery, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America.
Melina B
MB
Mastrodimos
Division of Head and Neck Surgery, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America.
Sharat C
SC
Raju
Department of Pharmacology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America.
Heather L
HL
Glasgow
Department of Pharmacology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America.
Michael
M
Whitney
Department of Pharmacology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America.
Beth
B
Friedman
Department of Physics, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America.
Jeffrey D
JD
Moore
Department of Physics, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America; Section of Neurobiology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America.
David
D
Kleinfeld
Howard Hughes Medical Institute, San Diego, California, United States of America.
Paul
P
Steinbach
Division of Biostatistics, Moores Cancer Center, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America.
Karen
K
Messer
Division of Biostatistics, Moores Cancer Center, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America.
Minya
M
Pu
Department of Pharmacology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, San Diego, California, United States of America.
Roger Y
RY
Tsien
Division of Head and Neck Surgery, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America; Department of Pharmacology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America; Moores Cancer Center, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America.
Quyen T
QT
Nguyen
D000818:Animals; D005154:Facial Nerve / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D005452:Fluoresceins; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D009410:Nerve Degeneration / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D009416:Nerve Regeneration; D016067:Nerve Transfer; D010455:Peptides; D020127:Recovery of Function; D025321:Surgery, Computer-Assisted; D016896:Treatment Outcome
C558459:F-NP41 peptide; D005452:Fluoresceins; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D010455:Peptides