Targeted photothermal silencing of unmodified nociceptor neurons

Despite impressive strides in light-enabled stimulation, approaches to silence targeted unmodified neurons subsets are yet to be devised. We will present a novel method to silence unmodified neurons via photothermal-mediated targeted drug delivery. Our approach uses laser-stimulation of antibody-coated gold nanoparticles to heat-activate TRPV1 (a noxious heat-sensing channel), turning this channel into a cell-specific drug-entry port. We will show that photothermal silencing blocks neuronal calcium currents and peptide release, resulting in targeted silencing of nociceptors. This approach can help to elucidate the contribution of nociceptor subpopulations to autoimmune pathologies and with further efforts can be translated into novel treatments in neuroscience.