optical-screening-novel-bacteria-specific-probes-on-ex-vivo-human

Optical Screening of Novel Bacteria-specific Probes on <em>Ex Vivo</em> Human Lung Tissue by Confocal Laser Endomicroscopy

Improving the speed and accuracy of bacterial detection is important for patient stratification and to ensure the appropriate use of antimicrobials. To ...

University of Edinburgh

The rise in multidrug resistant (MDR) bacteria has become a global crisis. Rapid and accurate diagnosis of infection will facilitate antibiotic stewardship and preserve our ability to treat and cure patients from bacterial infection. Direct in situ imaging of bacteria offers the prospect of accurately diagnosing disease and monitoring patient outcomes and response to treatment in real-time. There have been many recent advances in the field of optical imaging of infection; namely in specific probe and fluorophore design. This combined with the advances in imaging device technology render direct optical imaging of infection a feasible approach for accurate diagnosis in the clinic. Despite this, there are currently no licensed molecular probes for clinical optical imaging of infection. Here we report some of the most promising and interesting probes and approaches under development for this purpose, which have been evaluated in in vivo models within the laboratory setting.

Optical imaging of bacterial infections.

A library of FRET-based peptides were prepared and studied as Thrombin substrates. This identified probes that showed selective activation by Thrombin, low fluorescent background signals, stability to Factor Xa, matrix metalloproteases, and primary human inflammatory cell lysates and supernatant. These were selected for further optimization, creating a second generation of fluorogenic probes with improved solubility and Plasmin resistance. The optimised probe allowed the detection of Thrombin activity in ex vivo fibrotic human tissue.

Bethany Mills

EPSRC Proteus Hub,
MRC Centre of Inflammation Research,
Queen's Medical Research Institute,
EPSRC Proteus Hub, MRC Centre of Inflammation Research, Queen's Medical Research Institute

University of Edinburgh

Optical Screening of Novel Bacteria-specific Probes on Ex Vivo Human Lung Tissue by Confocal Laser Endomicroscopy

Bethany Mills

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University of Edinburgh

Optical Screening of Novel Bacteria-specific Probes on Ex Vivo Human Lung Tissue by Confocal Laser Endomicroscopy

EPSRC Proteus Hub,
MRC Centre of Inflammation Research,
Queen's Medical Research Institute,
EPSRC Proteus Hub, MRC Centre of Inflammation Research, Queen's Medical Research Institute