Fiber-based lactate recordings with fluorescence resonance energy transfer sensors by applying an magnetic resonance-informed correction of hemodynamic artifacts

SIGNIFICANCE: Fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) sensors offer enormous benefits when studying neurophysiology through confocal microscopy. Yet, their use for fiber-based in vivo recordings is hampered by massive confounding effects and has therefore been scarcely reported. AIM: We aim to investigate whether in vivo fiber-based lactate recordings in the rodent brain are feasible with FRET sensors and implement a correction algorithm for the predominant hemodynamic artifact. APPROACH: We performed fiber-based FRET recordings of lactate (Laconic) and calcium (Twitch-2B) simultaneously with functional MRI and pharmacological MRI. MR-derived parameters were applied to correct hemodynamic artifacts. Results of FRET measurements were validated by local field potential, magnetic resonance spectroscopy, and blood analysis. RESULTS: Hemodynamic artifacts dominated fiber-based in vivo FRET measurements with both Laconic and Twitch-2B. Our MR-based correction algorithm enabled to remove the artifacts and detect lactate and calcium changes during sensory stimulation or intravenous lactate injections. CONCLUSIONS: In vivo fiber-based lactate recordings are feasible using FRET-based sensors. However, signal corrections are required. MR-derived hemodynamic parameters can successfully be applied for artifact correction.