Neue Zielstrukturen für die Fluoreszenz-gestützte Chirurgie von HNSCC

Introduction: Fluorescence-guided surgery is a promising technique to further enhance precision in tumor resection for treatment of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). As distinct cell surface adhesion and signaling molecules (CSASMs) are substantially overexpressed in HNSCC, these molecular structures might represent potential targets for novel fluorescence-guided surgical strategies.

Material & methods: Employing immunostaining along with flow cytometry or epifluorescence and confocal microscopy, we first evaluated expression patterns of various antibodies directed against different CSASMs in single human HNSCC and non-malignant cells as well as in human HNSCC and non-malignant tissue specimens. In a translational approach, fluorescence microscopy was employed ex vivo for intraoperative margin identification in human HNSCC (topical application) as well as in vivo in a heterotopic, syngeneic mouse HNSCC model (cell line SCC VII, auricle; intravenous application) upon administration of selected near-infrared fluorescent IRDye800CW-labeled antibodies.

Results: As assessed by flow cytometry and fluorescence microscopy, immunostaining by fluorescent antibodies directed against selected CSASMs revealed a significantly higher fluorescence signal in HNSCC as compared to non-malignant cells or tissue. Moreover, IRDye800CW-labeled antibodies enabled clear delineation of human HNSCC from adjacent non-malignant tissue upon ex vivo immunostaining or in vivo in the mouse HNSCC model.

Discussion: Targeting selected CSASMs in HNSCC via IRDye800CW-labeled antibodies allows to distinguish HNSCC from adjacent non-malignant cells/tissue in vitro, ex vivo, and in vivo and has the potential to significantly enhance margin assessment and thus precision in tumor resection.

Nein