Two-photon Lysotrackers for in vivo imaging

We report two-photon Lysotrackers (CLT-blue and CLT-yellow) that can be excited by 750-840 nm femtosecond laser pulses and emit at 470 and 550 nm, respectively. They can be easily loaded into cells and tissue slices for visualization of lysosomes in live cells and tissues for a long period of time through two-photon microscopy. When combined with appropriate two-photon probes for other biological targets, these novel probes would greatly facilitate the two-photon microscopy colocalization experiments.     

Cellular Detection of a Mitochondria Targeted Brominated Vinyl Triphenylamine Optical Probe (TP−Br) by X-Ray Fluorescence Microscopy

Triphenylamine (TP) derivatives such as two-branch cationic vinylbenzimidazolium triphenylamine TP−2Bzim are promising turn-on fluorescent probes suitable for two-photon imaging, labelling mitochondria in live cells. Here, we designed two TP−2Bzim derivatives as bimodal probes suitable for X-ray fluorescence imaging. The conjugation of the TP core with a rhenium tricarbonyl moiety in the TP−RePyta probe altered the localisation in live cells from mitochondria to lysosomes. The introduction of bromine on the TP core generated the TP−Br probe retaining good photophysical properties and mitochondria labelling in live cells. The influence of calcium channels in the uptake of TP−Br was studied. Synchrotron Radiation X-ray Fluorescence (SXRF) imaging of bromine enabled the detection of TP−Br and suggested a negligible presence of the probe in an unbound state in the incubated cells, a crucial point in the development of these probes. This study paves the way towards the development of TP probes as specific organelle stainers suitable for SXRF imaging.     

A far-red emitting probe for unambiguous detection of mobile zinc in acidic vesicles and deep tissue

Imaging mobile zinc in acidic environments remains challenging because most small-molecule optical probes display pH-dependent fluorescence. Here we report a reaction-based sensor that detects mobile zinc unambiguously at low pH. The sensor responds reversibly and with a large dynamic range to exogenously applied Zn²⁺ in lysosomes of HeLa cells, endogenous Zn²⁺ in insulin granules of MIN6 cells, and zinc-rich mossy fiber boutons in hippocampal tissue from mice. This long-wavelength probe is compatible with the green-fluorescent protein, enabling multicolor imaging, and facilitates visualization of mossy fiber boutons at depths of >100 μm, as demonstrated by studies in live tissue employing two-photon microscopy.     

Recent Progress of Small-Molecule Ratiometric Fluorescent Probes for Peroxynitrite in Biological Systems

Peroxynitrite (ONOO⁻) as a major reactive oxygen species plays important roles in cellular signal transduction and homeostatic regulation. Precise detection of ONOO⁻ in biological systems is vital for exploring its physiological and pathological function. Among numerous detection methods, fluorescence imaging technology using fluorescent probes offers some advantages, including simple operation, high sensitivity and selectivity, as well as real-time and nondestructive detection. In particular, ratiometric fluorescent probes, in which the built-in calibration of the two emission bands prevents interference from the biological environment, have been extensively employed to monitor the fluctuation of bioactive species. In this review, we will discuss small-molecule ratiometric fluorescent probes for ONOO⁻ in live cells or in vivo, which involves chemical structures, response mechanisms, and biological applications. Moreover, the challenges and future prospects of ONOO⁻-responsive ratiometric fluorescent probe are also proposed.     

Small luminescent molecular probe for developing as assay for alkaline phosphatase

Alkaline phosphatase (ALP) is an important biomarker in clinical diagnostics, and the abnormal level of ALP enzyme in serum is closely related to various diseases such as bone metastases, bone or liver cancer, and extrahepatic biliary obstruction. Recognizing the location and expression level of ALP in live cells has a substantial importance in early-stage cancer diagnosis, as well as an important parameter for studying the recovery of the patients after liver transplantation. With the advent of the newer and advanced fluorescence imaging techniques, small-molecule fluorescent probes have become a very powerful tool for mapping the subtle changes in the enzyme expression level in living cells and tissues in real-time. In this account, we provide an overview of recent advances in small-molecule ALP fluorescent probes, mainly during the last few years, including the design strategies and applications for biological applications.     

Two-photon fluorescent probes for long-term imaging of calcium waves in live tissue

2-Acetyl-6-(dimethylamino)naphthalene-derived two-photon fluorescent Ca2+ probes (ACa1-ACa3) are reported. They can be excited by a 780 nm laser beam, show 23-50-fold enhancement in one- and two-photon excited fluorescence in response to Ca2+, emit fourfold stronger two-photon excited fluorescence than Oregon Green 488 BAPTA-1 upon complexation with Ca2+, and can selectively detect intracellular free Ca2+ ions in live cells and living tissues with minimum interference from other metal ions and membrane-bound probes. Moreover, these probes are capable of monitoring calcium waves at a depth of 120-170 microm in live tissues for 1100-4000 s using two-photon microscopy with no artifacts of photobleaching.     

A specific probe for two-photon fluorescence lysosomal imaging

Lysosomes are vital organelles in physiological processes, as they receive and degrade macromolecules from the secretory and endocytic procedures. Evidences have shown that lysosomes were related to oncogenic activation and cancer progression, so lysosomes targeting and imaging probes make them convenient to be observed. In this study, a lysosome specific probe W-7 was designed and synthesized via convenient one-pot reaction and Heck reaction. This probe was derived from Tröger's base with a dimethylaminomethyl end group. The optical properties of this compound were measured. W-7 also showed two-photon absorption (TPA) effect by using laser excitation at the wavelength of infrared light. In vivo experiment, W-7 showed high specificity and selectivity for lysosomes in living cells (HeLa cells, MRC-5 cells and NRK cells), compared with LT Red, GT Red and MT Red (R = 0.96). Two-photon fluorescence images of HeLa cells stained by W-7 were obtained. And high resolution 3D reconstruction of lysosomes in one HeLa cell was provided by using two-photon confocal microscopy. The anantioseparation of racemic W-7 was carried out by chiral-HPLC, and the two enantiomers showed no significant difference in lysosomes imaging.     

Polyfluorene based conjugated polymer nanoparticles for two-photon live cell imaging

Two-photon excitation microscopy (2PEM) has been known as a noninvasive and powerful bio-imaging tool for studying living cells, intact tissues and living animals because of their unique advantages such as localized excitation, deep tissue penetration as well as less photo-damage. However, the major limitations that hinder its practical applications in biological systems are low two-photon absorption cross sections of conventional fluorescence probes. Conjugated polymer nanoparticles (CPNs) consisting of highly fluorescent conjugated polymers are promising fluorescent probes for 2PEM due to their unique advantages including large two-photon absorption cross sections, high fluorescence quantum yield, good photo-stability and biocompatibility, facile chemical synthesis, tunable optical properties as well as versatile surface modifications. This account summarizes the recent efforts of our group on development of novel polyfluorene based CPNs as 2PEM contrast agents for live cell imaging.     

Reactant concentrations from fluorescence correlation spectroscopy with tailored fluorescent probes. An example of local calibration-free pH measurement

The present account is concerned with the measurement of local reactant concentrations by observing specific fluorescent probes in fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (FCS). The Theoretical Analysis section revisits the photophysical, thermodynamic, and kinetic information that is contained in the corresponding FCS correlation curves. In particular, we examine the conditions under which FCS is revealed as a superior tool to measure concentrations of reactive species. Careful molecular engineering of the specific fluorescent probes that simultaneously integrates photophysical, thermodynamic, and kinetic constraints will be required to benefit most from FCS. We illustrate the FCS titration approach with a series of fluorescent probes that we tailored to measure pH at around 4-6 by FCS after two-photon excitation. We show that an optimal design allows one to access pH without any preliminary calibrations such as the determination of the protonation constant or the photophysical properties of the fluorescent probe.     

基于咔唑的双光子荧光次氯酸根探针光学性质及响应机理

采用含时密度泛函理论与响应函数理论相结合的方法,研究了两种实验室新合成的水溶性双光子荧光次氯酸根（ClO^-）探针分子HCH和HCM的单光子吸收、双光子吸收和荧光发射性质。计算结果表明,HCH和HCM分子与ClO^-反应后,生成物的光吸收和光发射性质均发生明显变化,相应的吸收和发射峰位都发生了明显蓝移,荧光强度展现出明显的增强。另外,两探针分子都具有较大的双光子吸收截面,且与ClO^-反应后,生成物的双光子吸收截面值显著增加,因此两分子均可作为性能优良的双光子荧光探针分子。此外,通过分析HCH和HCM分子与ClO^-反应前后的Mulliken电荷布居情况,从理论上证实了该系列荧光探针分子的识别机理是C＝N异构化。     

Highly selective red- and green-emitting two-photon fluorescent probes for cysteine detection and their bio-imaging in living cells

Two highly selective two-photon fluorescent probes for cysteine over homocysteine, N-acetyl-L-cysteine, dithiothreitol, glutathione and other amino acids, and their fluorescent imaging in living cells have been shown.     

Reaction-based two-photon probes for in vitro analysis and cellular imaging of monoamine oxidase activity

Reaction-based fluorescent probes for monoamine oxidases A and B are developed based on a new two-photon absorbing compound and its precursor. The probes show turn-on fluorescence response to the enzymes owing to the two-photon absorbing compound produced by the enzymatic activity, as monitored by one- as well as two-photon microscopy for the first time.     

双光子荧光有机纳米粒子的细胞染色

本文采用具有较大双光子吸收截面的有机分子2,5,2′,5′-(4′-N,N-二苯胺苯乙烯基)联苯(DPA-TSB)(双光子吸收截面δ: 3288 GM, 1 GM=1×10^-50 cm⁴·s·photon^-1·molecule^-1), 通过再沉淀法制备水相分散的纳米粒子. 研究表明, 这种有机双光子纳米粒子可以有效地富集在细胞质中, 对细胞染色显示出良好的荧光成像能力.     

Two rhodamine lactam modulated lysosome-targetable fluorescence probes for sensitively and selectively monitoring subcellular organelle pH change

Be a powerful technique for convenient detection of pH change in living cells, especially at subcellular level, fluorescent probes has attracted more and more attention. In this work, we designed and synthesized three rhodamine lactam modulated fluorescent probes RS1, RS2 and RS3, which all respond sensitively toward weak acidity (pH range 4–6) via the photophysical property in buffer solution without interference from the other metal ions, and they also show ideal pKa values and excellent reversibility. Particularly, by changing the lone pair electrons distribution of lactam-N atom with different conjugations, RS2 and RS3 exhibit high quantum yield, negligible cytotoxicity and excellent permeability. They are suitable to stain selectively lysosomes of tumor cells and monitor its pH changes sensitively via optical molecular imaging. The above findings suggest that the probes we designed could act as ideal and easy method for investigating the pivotal role of H⁺ in lysosomes and are potential pH detectors in disease diagnosis through direct intracellular imaging.     

A novel acidotropic pH indicator and its potential application in labeling acidic organelles of live cells.

BACKGROUND: Ratio imaging has received intensive attention in the past few decades. The growing potential of ratio imaging is significantly limited, however, by the lack of appropriate fluorescent probes, for acidic organelles in particular. The classic fluorescent dyes (such as fluoresceins, rhodamines and coumarins) are not suitable for studying acidic organelles (such as lysosomes) because their fluorescence is significantly decreased under neutral or acidic conditions. This has motivated us to develop probes that can be used in ratio imaging that are strongly fluorescent even in acidic media. RESULTS: The compound 2-(4-pyridyl)-5-((4-(2-dimethylaminoethyl-aminocarbamoyl) methoxy)phenyl)oxazole (PDMPO) was prepared and characterized as a new acidotropic dual-excitation and dual-emission pH indicator. It emits intense yellow fluorescence at lower pH and gives intense blue fluorescence at higher pH. This unique pH-dependent fluorescence property was readily explored to selectively stain lysosomes and to determine the pH of the organelle in an emission-ratio-imaging mode. PDMPO is selectively localized to lysosomes and exhibits a pH-dependent dual excitation and emission. CONCLUSIONS: PDMPO selectively labels acidic organelles (such as lysosomes) of live cells and the two distinct emission peaks can be used to monitor the pH fluctuations of live cells in ratio measurements. Additionally, the very large Stokes shift and excellent photostability of PDMPO make the compound an ideal fluorescent acidotropic probe. The unique fluorescence properties of PDMPO might give researchers a new tool with which to study acidic organelles of live cells.     

双光子荧光探针研究及其应用*

双光子荧光显微成像兼具诸如近红外激发、暗场成像、避免荧光漂白和光致毒、定靶激发、高横向分辨率与纵向分辨率、降低生物组织吸光系数及降低组织自发荧光干扰等特点而显著地优于单光子荧光显微成像,为生命科学研究提供了更为锐利的工具。而用于像离子的含量及其对生理的影响、离子参与的生理活动机制、离子与分子的作用、特定分子的分布及其相互作用等方面研究的双光子荧光探针,是实现成像的关键。双光子荧光探针的研究旨在促进双光子荧光显微镜应用的发展,促进生命科学、医学科学的快速发展,同时也带动双光子荧光探针所隶属的化学这一学科的发展。因此对双光子荧光探针的研究具有重要的理论和实践意义。该文综述了双光子荧光显微成像的优点、双光子荧光探针设计的原理及双光子荧光探针在离子分析方面的应用,并展望了这类荧光探针的发展趋势与应用前景。     

双氰基二苯代乙烯型双光子荧光汞离子探针

分别以双氰基二苯代乙烯(DCS)和双[2-(2-羟乙基硫基)乙基]氨(HSA)为双光子荧光团和汞离子受体,合成了双光子荧光汞离子探针(DHg),并对其结构进行了分析.实验结果表明,DHg在甲苯、乙腈和水中的荧光量子产率(Φ)分别为0.78,0.42和0.20,对汞离子的络合常数通过单、双光子荧光滴定分别拟合为lg K=5.47±0.02和lg K=5.34±0.02.DHg在水溶液中对汞离子具有优良的选择性和高的灵敏性,可用于中性环境中汞离子的检测.DHg的双光子吸收截面(δTPA)在水溶液中高达840 GM,可用于细胞中汞离子的检测与成像.     

6-Substituted quinoline-based ratiometric two-photon fluorescent probes for biological Zn2+ detection

New ratiometric two-photon fluorescent probes are developed from 6-substituted quinolines for biological Zn(2+) detection. They show large red shifts and good ratiometric responses upon Zn(2+) binding. They also exhibit high ion selectivities and large two-photon absorption cross sections at nearly 720 nm. Because the new probes are cell-permeable, they can be used to detect intracellular zinc flux under two-photon excitation.     

Color-Tunable Light-up Bioorthogonal Probes for In Vivo Two-Photon Fluorescence Imaging

Light-up bioorthogonal probes have attracted increasing attention recently due to their capability to directly image diverse biomolecules in living cells without washing steps. The development of bioorthogonal probes with excellent fluorescent properties suitable for in vivo imaging, such as long excitation/emission wavelength, high fluorescence turn-on ratio, and deep penetration, has been rarely reported. Herein, a series of azide-based light-up bioorthogonal probes with tunable colors based on a weak fluorescent 8-aminoquinoline ( AQ ) scaffold were designed and synthesized. The azido quinoline derivatives are able to induce large fluorescence enhancement (up to 1352-fold) after click reaction with alkynes. In addition, the probes could be engineered to exhibit excellent two-photon properties (δ=542 GM at 780 nm) after further introducing different styryl groups into the AQ scaffold. Subsequent detailed bioimaging experiments demonstrated that these versatile probes can be successfully used for live cell/zebrafish imaging without washing steps. Further in vivo two-photon imaging experiments demonstrated that these light-up biorthogonal probe outperformed conventional fluorophores, for example, high signal-to-noise ratio and deep tissue penetration. The design strategy reported in this study is a useful approach to realize diverse high-performance biorthogonal light-up probes for in vivo studying.