Cardiac inotropy and cardiac calcium sensitization of PanLN800(-Forte), a cationic heptamethine indocyanine fluorescent contrast agent for intraoperative pan lymph node imaging.

Introduction: Accurate staging of malignancies often requires comprehensive evaluation of lymph nodes. However, finding these lymph nodes during oncological surgery is a daunting and time-consuming task, which increases the risk of missed lymph nodes and complications. Near-infrared (NIR) fluorescence imaging with the experimental fluorescent contrast agent PanLN800(-Forte) could provide real-time identification of lymph nodes and may solve this longstanding problem.

Immunohistochemical Evaluation of Cathepsin B, L, and S Expression in Breast Cancer Patients.

Purpose: Cysteine cathepsins are proteases that play a role in normal cellular physiology and neoplastic transformation. Elevated expression and enzymatic activity of cathepsins in breast cancer (BCa) indicates their potential as a target for tumor imaging. In particular cathepsin B (CTSB), L (CTSL), and S (CTSS) are used as targets for near-infrared (NIR) fluorescence imaging (FI), a technique that allows real-time intraoperative tumor visualization and resection margin assessment.

Preclinical evaluation of EpCAM-binding designed ankyrin repeat proteins (DARPins) as targeting moieties for bimodal near-infrared fluorescence and photoacoustic imaging of cancer.

Purpose: Fluorescence-guided surgery (FGS) can play a key role in improving radical resection rates by assisting surgeons to gain adequate visualization of malignant tissue intraoperatively. Designed ankyrin repeat proteins (DARPins) possess optimal pharmacokinetic and other properties for in vivo imaging. This study aims to evaluate the preclinical potential of epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM)-binding DARPins as targeting moieties for near-infrared fluorescence (NIRF) and photoacoustic (PA) imaging of cancer.