Fluorescent Cancer-Selective Alkylphosphocholine Analogs for Intraoperative Glioma Detection

Fluorescent_Cancer_Selective_Alkylphosphocholine

Neurosurgery 76:115–124, 2015

5-Aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA)-induced tumor fluorescence aids brain tumor resections but is not approved for routine use in the United States. We developed and describe testing of 2 novel fluorescent, cancer-selective alkylphosphocholine analogs, CLR1501 (green) and CLR1502 (near infrared), in a proof-of-principle study for fluorescence-guided glioma surgery.

OBJECTIVE: To demonstrate that CLR1501 and CLR1502 are cancer cell-selective fluorescence agents in glioblastoma models and to compare tumor-to-normal brain (T:N) fluorescence ratios with 5-ALA.

METHODS: CLR1501, CLR1502, and 5-ALA were administered to mice with magnetic resonance imaging-verified orthotopic U251 glioblastoma multiforme- and glioblastoma stem cell-derived xenografts. Harvested brains were imaged with confocal microscopy (CLR1501), the IVIS Spectrum imaging system (CLR1501, CLR1502, and 5-ALA), or the Fluobeam near-infrared fluorescence imaging system (CLR1502). Imaging and quantitative analysis of T:N fluorescence ratios were performed.

RESULTS: Excitation/emission peaks are 500/517 nm for CLR1501 and 760/778 nm for CLR1502. The observed T:N ratio for CLR1502 (9.28 6 1.08) was significantly higher (P , .01) than for CLR1501 (3.51 6 0.44 on confocal imaging; 7.23 6 1.63 on IVIS imaging) and 5-ALA (4.81 6 0.92). Near-infrared Fluobeam CLR1502 imaging in a mouse xenograft model demonstrated high- contrast tumor visualization compatible with surgical applications.

CONCLUSION: CLR1501 (green) and CLR1502 (near infrared) are novel tumor-selective fluorescent agents for discriminating tumor from normal brain. CLR1501 exhibits a tumor-to-brain fluorescence ratio similar to that of 5-ALA, whereas CLR1502 has a superior tumor-to-brain fluorescence ratio. This study demonstrates the potential use of CLR1501 and CLR1502 in fluorescence-guided tumor surgery.

Intraoperative confocal microscopy in the visualization of 5-aminolevulinic acid fluorescence in low-grade gliomas

J Neurosurg 115:740–748, 2011. DOI: 10.3171/2011.6.JNS11252

Greater extent of resection (EOR) for patients with low-grade glioma (LGG) corresponds with improved clinical outcome, yet remains a central challenge to the neurosurgical oncologist. Although 5-aminolevulinic acid (5- ALA)–induced tumor fluorescence is a strategy that can improve EOR in gliomas, only glioblastomas routinely fluoresce following 5-ALA administration. Intraoperative confocal microscopy adapts conventional confocal technology to a handheld probe that provides real-time fluorescent imaging at up to 1000× magnification. The authors report a combined approach in which intraoperative confocal microscopy is used to visualize 5-ALA tumor fluorescence in LGGs during the course of microsurgical resection.

Methods. Following 5-ALA administration, patients with newly diagnosed LGG underwent microsurgical resection. Intraoperative confocal microscopy was conducted at the following points: 1) initial encounter with the tumor; 2) the midpoint of tumor resection; and 3) the presumed brain-tumor interface. Histopathological analysis of these sites correlated tumor infiltration with intraoperative cellular tumor fluorescence.

Results. Ten consecutive patients with WHO Grades I and II gliomas underwent microsurgical resection with 5-ALA and intraoperative confocal microscopy. Macroscopic tumor fluorescence was not evident in any patient. However, in each case, intraoperative confocal microscopy identified tumor fluorescence at a cellular level, a finding that corresponded to tumor infiltration on matched histological analyses.

Conclusions. Intraoperative confocal microscopy can visualize cellular 5-ALA–induced tumor fluorescence within LGGs and at the brain-tumor interface. To assess the clinical value of 5-ALA for high-grade gliomas in conjunction with neuronavigation, and for LGGs in combination with intraoperative confocal microscopy and neuronavigation, a Phase IIIa randomized placebo-controlled trial (BALANCE) is underway at the authors’ institution.