This study assesses the sensitivity of label-free fluorescence lifetime imaging (FLIm) for detecting low-grade gastrointestinal inflammation in mice. A FLIm probe was developed for in vivo colon imaging, enabling complete colon scanning. Using the probe, low-grade inflammation induced by streptomycin was imaged, showing decreased fluorescence lifetime at wavelengths related to metabolic activity, indicating a shift to glycolytic metabolism in inflamed tissue. The potential of validating FLIm maps with spatial transcriptomics was explored. These methodologies provide a basis for further experimentation to establish FLIm as a tool to quantify colon epithelial metabolism over time and its relevance to monitor colorectal inflammatory disease.
Gastrointestinal disorders such as colorectal cancer or inflammatory bowel disease are linked to gut dysbiosis, an unbalanced gut microbiota. This early manifestation of the disease alters colon epithelial metabolism influencing the gut autofluorescence emission, which is susceptible to carry diagnostic value. We analyzed the fluorescence properties of healthy and dysbiotic ex vivo murine colons with an intraluminal fiber-based fluorescence lifetime imaging (FLIm) instrument. The results indicate that fluorescence lifetime reacts to inflammation in a spectrally dependant manner, and the full-length colon images allow to localize specific areas of activity. Imaging results were correlated to biochemical metabolic readouts (i.e. intracellular NADH, lactate) to establish the diagnostic potential of intraluminal FLIm.
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