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research article

Optogenetic modulation of peripheral nociceptive neurons with biocompatible optoelectronic implants

Chung, Paul Chu Sin
•
Paggi, Valentina  
•
Pertin, Marie
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June 26, 2025
Bioengineering & Translational Medicine

Hyperexcitability of peripheral sensory neurons plays a critical role in the development and maintenance of chronic pain. Pharmacological analgesics used in clinics reduce neuronal activity. They often come with non‐negligible side effects. Optogenetic approaches can modulate neuronal activity and are attracting growing interest for therapeutic uses, but the delivery of light in different parts of the body requires the development of specific optoelectronic interfaces. We designed and produced a microfabricated optoelectronic implant to deliver yellow light (559 nm) onto the sciatic nerve. We have surgically implanted the device in transgenic mice expressing the yellow light‐sensitive inhibitory archaerhodopsin (ArchT) in nociceptive neurons. Yellow light induced a significant reduction in the responses of the nociceptive neurons and curbed the behavioral responses to noxious mechanical and thermal stimuli. Remarkably, the yellow light‐related inhibition did not alter the behavioral responses evoked by innocuous mechanical stimulation or by intense inflammation. The optoelectronic implants showed reliable and reproducible opto‐electrical performance. For stimulation parameters used in vivo (3.3 V, 60–80 mW/mm2, 20 s train pulses, 1 Hz, 80% duty‐cycle, and an inter‐train interval of 1 s), limited temperature increase was measured in an environment mimicking neural tissue surrounded by muscle and fat. Similarly, the basal sensitivity of the implanted mice remains comparable to non‐implanted mice, suggesting a safe integration of the soft electronic device. Our study confirmed that optoelectronic implants tailored to the sciatic nerve can provide specific light spectra and intensities at adequate levels for the optogenetic actuator to trigger significant electrophysiological and behavioral responses in pain perception.

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Type
research article
DOI
10.1002/btm2.70034
Author(s)
Chung, Paul Chu Sin
Paggi, Valentina  

École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne

Pertin, Marie
Kirschmann, Guylène
Konnova, Elena A.
Michoud, Frédéric  

École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne

Furfaro, Ivan  

École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne

Schneider, Bernard L.  

École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne

Lacour, Stéphanie P.  

École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne

Decosterd, Isabelle
Date Issued

2025-06-26

Publisher

Wiley

Published in
Bioengineering & Translational Medicine
Editorial or Peer reviewed

REVIEWED

Written at

EPFL

EPFL units
LSBI  
PTBTG  
FunderFunding(s)Grant NumberGrant URL

Fondation Bertarelli

Available on Infoscience
June 30, 2025
Use this identifier to reference this record
https://infoscience.epfl.ch/handle/20.500.14299/251716
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