Synthesis of a Near‐Infrared BODIPY Dye for Bioimaging and Photothermal Therapy

The development of robust photothermal agents for near‐infrared (NIR) imaging is a great challenge. Herein, we report the design and synthesis of a new photothermal agent, based on the aza‐boron‐dipyrromethene framework (azaBDP). This compound possessed excellent photostability and high photothermal‐conversion efficiency (50 %) under NIR laser irradiation. When the photothermal properties of this compound were utilized for tumor inhibition, stable long‐term fluorescence was observed in living animals. Photothermal treatment efficiently suppressed tumor growth, as evidenced by in vitro and in vivo experiments. Furthermore, NIR emission could be detected by using an imaging system and therapeutic self‐monitoring was achieved by using NIR imaging.     

Keto‐benzo[h]‐Coumarin‐Based Near‐Infrared Dyes with Large Stokes Shifts for Bioimaging Applications

Fluorescence imaging is a promising tool for the visualization of biomolecules in living systems and there is great demand for new fluorescent dyes that absorb and emit in the near‐infrared (NIR) region. Herein, we constructed three new fluorescent dyes ( NBC dyes) based on keto‐benzo[h]coumarin ( k‐BC ) and benzopyrilium salts. These dyes showed large Stokes shifts (>100 nm) and NIR emission (>800 nm). The relationship between the structures and optical properties of these dyes was further investigated by using density functional theory calculations at the B3LYP/6‐3G level of theory. Fluorescence images indicated that the fabricated dyes exhibited good photostability and low cytotoxicity and, thus, have potential applications as imaging agents in living cells and animals.     

Self‐Templated Stepwise Synthesis of Monodispersed Nanoscale Metalated Covalent Organic Polymers for In Vivo Bioimaging and Photothermal Therapy

Size‐ and shape‐controlled growth of nanoscale microporous organic polymers (MOPs) is a big challenge scientists are confronted with; meanwhile, rendering these materials for in vivo biomedical applications is still scarce. In this study, a monodispersed nanometalated covalent organic polymer (MCOP, M=Fe, Gd) with sizes around 120 nm was prepared by a self‐templated two‐step solution‐phase synthesis method. The metal ions (Fe³⁺, Gd³⁺) played important roles in generating a small particle size and in the functionalization of the products during the reaction with p ‐phenylenediamine (Pa). The resultant Fe‐Pa complex was used as a template for the subsequent formation of MCOP following the Schiff base reaction with 1,3,5‐triformylphloroglucinol (Tp). A high tumor suppression efficiency for this Pa‐based COP is reported for the first time. This study demonstrates the potential use of MCOP as a photothermal agent for photothermal therapy (PTT) and also provides an alternative route to fabricate nano‐sized MCOPs.     

石墨烯/有机共轭体系的光热效应与应用

本文对近几年来石墨烯/有机共轭体系在光热效应领域取得的重要研究进展进行了总结评述。虽然有机光热试剂具有优异的光热转换效率和良好的生物相容性,但是,有机光热试剂的光稳定性差,限制了其实际应用。现有研究结果表明,石墨烯可显著地增强有机共轭体系的光稳定性,大幅提高其光热转换效率。此外,石墨烯/有机共轭体系还可集多种功能于一体,例如:光声成像指导下的光热治疗、pH响应的荧光成像和光热治疗、光热和光动力联合治疗等,这对有机共轭体系在光热治疗领域的应用具有重要意义。本文总结的研究结果及所作的分析,希望对新型有机共轭体系的光热效应及后续研究起到一定的参考和促进作用。     

Multifunctional Uniform Core–Shell Fe3O4@mSiO2 Mesoporous Nanoparticles for Bimodal Imaging and Photothermal Therapy

Multimodal imaging and simultaneous therapy is highly desirable because it can provide complementary information from each imaging modality for accurate diagnosis and, at the same time, afford an imaging‐guided focused tumor therapy. In this study, indocyanine green (ICG), a near‐infrared (NIR) imaging agent and perfect NIR light absorber for laser‐mediated photothermal therapy, was successfully incorporated into superparamagnetic Fe₃O₄@mSiO₂ core–shell nanoparticles to combine the merit of NIR/magnetic resonance (MR) bimodal imaging properties with NIR photothermal therapy. The resultant nanoparticles were homogenously coated with poly(allylamine hydrochloride) (PAH) to make the surface of the composite nanoparticles positively charged, which would enhance cellular uptake driven by electrostatic interactions between the positive surface of the nanoparticles and the negative surface of the cancer cell. A high biocompatibility of the achieved nanoparticles was demonstrated by using a cell cytotoxicity assay. Moreover, confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) observations indicated excellent NIR fluorescent imaging properties of the ICG‐loaded nanoparticles. The relatively high r₂ value (171.6 mM ^?1 s^?1) of the nanoparticles implies its excellent capability as a contrast agent for MRI. More importantly, the ICG‐loaded nanoparticles showed perfect NIR photothermal therapy properties, thus indicating their potential for simultaneous cancer diagnosis as highly effective NIR/MR bimodal imaging probes and for NIR photothermal therapy of cancerous cells.     

Highly Fluorescent and Water‐Soluble Diketopyrrolopyrrole Dyes for Bioconjugation

The preparation of highly water‐soluble and strongly fluorescent diketopyrrolopyrrole (DPP) dyes using an unusual taurine‐like sulfonated linker has been achieved. Exchanging a phenyl for a thienyl substituent shifts the emission wavelength to near λ=600 nm. The free carboxylic acid group present in these new derivatives was readily activated and the dyes were subsequently covalently linked to a model protein (bovine serum albumin; BSA). The bioconjugates were characterized by electronic absorption, fluorescence spectroscopy and MALDI‐TOF mass spectrometry, thus enabling precise determination of the labeling density (ratio DPP/BSA about 3 to 8). Outstanding values of fluorescence quantum yield (30 % to 59 %) for these bioconjugates are obtained. The photostability of these DPP dyes is considerably greater than that of fluorescein under the same irradiation conditions. Remarkably low detection limits between 80 and 300 molecules/μm² were found for the BSA bioconjugates by fluorescence imaging with a epifluorescence microscope.     

聚吡咯及其纳米复合材料在光热治疗领域的应用

光热治疗是近年来兴起的一种治疗方法,具有靶向性强、适应性广的特点。在光热治疗中,通过光热剂对光的吸收将光能转化为热能,从而实现治疗作用,因而光热剂的光热转化性能直接决定了光热治疗的效果。光热剂的种类丰富,涵盖由无机到有机等组成和性能各异的多种材料。其中,聚吡咯具备良好的生物相容性、优异的光稳定性以及光热转化性能,在光热治疗领域受到广泛关注,是一种拥有巨大应用潜力的光热剂,然而其在光热治疗领域的发展趋势及前景却鲜有报道。本文综述了聚吡咯及其纳米复合材料的制备方法,详述了聚吡咯及其纳米复合材料在光热治疗领域中的应用情况,包括聚吡咯基纳米材料的自身性能和实际光热治疗的效果,指出以聚吡咯为基体或修饰材料来制备具有CT、磁共振、光声显影及光热治疗性能的聚吡咯基复合材料已成为发展趋势。在此基础上,本文还总结了聚吡咯基纳米复合材料在制备和应用中存在的问题,并分析了其在发展过程中遇到的挑战以及在生物医学应用中的前景。     

Referenced Dual Pressure‐ and Temperature‐Sensitive Paint for Digital Color Camera Read Out

The first fluorescent material for the referenced simultaneous RGB (red green blue) imaging of barometric pressure (oxygen partial pressure) and temperature is presented. This sensitive coating consists of two platinum(II) complexes as indicators and a reference dye, each of which is incorporated in appropriate polymer nanoparticles. These particles are dispersed in a polyurethane hydrogel and spread onto a solid support. The emission of the (oxygen) pressure indicator, PtTFPP, matches the red channel of a RGB color camera, whilst the emission of the temperature indicator [Pt^II(Br‐thq)(acac)] matches the green channel. The reference dye, 9,10‐diphenylanthracene, emits in the blue channel. In contrast to other dual‐sensitive materials, this new coating allows for the simultaneous imaging of both indicator signals, as well as the reference signal, in one RGB color picture without having to separate the signals with additional optical filters. All of these dyes are excitable with a 405 nm light‐emitting diode (LED). With this new composite material, barometric pressure can be determined with a resolution of 22 mbar; the temperature can be determined with a resolution of 4.3 °C.     

Supramolecular Phthalocyanine Assemblies for Improved Photoacoustic Imaging and Photothermal Therapy

Phototheranostic nanoplatforms are of particular interest for cancer diagnosis and imaging‐guided therapy. Herein, we develop a supramolecular approach to fabricate a nanostructured phototheranostic agent through the direct self‐assembly of two water‐soluble phthalocyanine derivatives, PcS4 and PcN4. The nature of the molecular recognition between PcS4 and PcN4 facilitates the formation of nanostructure (PcS4‐PcN4) and consequently enables the fabrication of PcS4‐PcN4 with completely quenched fluorescence and reduced singlet oxygen generation, leading to the high photoacoustic and photothermal activity of PcS4‐PcN4. In vivo evaluations suggest that PcS4‐PcN4 could not only efficiently visualize a tumor with high contrast through whole‐body photoacoustic imaging but also enable excellent photothermal therapy for cancer.     

Dipolar Dyes with a Pyrrolo[2,3‐b]quinoxaline Skeleton Containing a Cyano Group and a Bridged Tertiary Amino Group: Synthesis,Solvatofluorochromism, and Bioimaging

Two strongly polarized dipolar chromophores possessing a cyclic tertiary amino group at one terminus of the molecule and a CN group at the opposite terminus were designed and synthesized. Their rigid skeleton contains the rarely studied pyrrolo[2,3‐b]quinoxaline ring system. The photophysical properties of these regioisomeric dyes were different owing to differing π conjugation between the CN group and the electron‐donor moiety. These dipolar molecules showed very intense emission, strong solvatofluorochromism, and sufficient two‐photon brightness for bioimaging. One of these regioisomeric dyes, namely, 11‐carbonitrile‐2,3,4,5,6,7‐hexahydro‐1H‐3a,8,13,13b‐tetraazabenzo[b]cyclohepta[1,2,3‐jk]fluorene, was successfully utilized in two‐photon imaging of mouse organ tissues and showed distinct tissue morphology with high resolution.     

基于金纳米棒的生物检测、细胞成像和癌症的光热治疗

由于金纳米棒颗粒独特的可调的表面等离子共振特性,使得金纳米棒颗粒在纳米复合材料和功能化纳米器件的构建、纳米生物技术、生物医学等领域具有广泛而重要的应用前景。本文综述了金纳米棒颗粒的生物检测、细胞成像和癌症的光热治疗方面的最新研究进展,并介绍了金纳米棒颗粒的光学性质和金纳米棒颗粒和几种主要的表面修饰方法,对金纳米棒颗粒在生物应用过程中存在的主要问题进行了讨论。     

Nanostructures as Photothermal Agents in Tumor Treatment

Traditional methods of tumor treatment such as surgical resection, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy have certain limitations, and their treatment effects are not always satisfactory. As a new tumor treatment method, photothermal therapy based on nanostructures has attracted the attention of researchers due to its characteristics of minimally invasive, low side effects, and inhibition of cancer metastasis. In recent years, there has been a variety of inorganic or organic nanostructures used in the field of photothermal tumor treatment, and they have shown great application prospects. In this paper, the advantages and disadvantages of a variety of nanomaterials/nanostructures as photothermal agents (PTAs) for photothermal therapy as well as their research progress are reviewed. For the sake of clarity, the recently reported nanomaterials/nanostructures for photothermal therapy of tumor are classified into five main categories, i.e., carbon nanostructures, noble metal nanostructures, transition metal sulfides, organic polymer, and other nanostructures. In addition, future perspectives or challenges in the related field are discussed.     

BODIPY Dyes Bearing Multibranched Fluorinated Chains: Synthesis,Structural, and Spectroscopic Studies

A small series of boron-dipyrromethene (BODIPY) dyes, characterized by the presence of multibranched fluorinated residues, were designed and synthesized. The dyes differ in both the position (para-perfluoroalkoxy-substituted phenyl ring or boron functionalization) and number of magnetically equivalent fluorine atoms (27 or 54 fluorine atoms per molecule). Photophysical and crystallographic characterization of the synthesized BODIPYs was carried out to evaluate the effect of the presence of highly fluorinated moieties on the optical and morphological properties of such compounds.     

金属有机框架基复合材料的制备及其光热性能研究

金属有机框架材料(metal-organic frameworks,MOFs)是一类新型的有机-无机杂化材料,具有可功能化的骨架结构、高比表面积、可调控的孔径尺寸等优势.将MOFs与性质多样的有机/无机功能纳米材料复合,不仅有可能充分发挥组分各自的优势,而且有可能产生"1+1＞2"的协同效应,因而引起了人们的广泛关注....     

Synthesis of Symmetrical Multichromophoric Bodipy Dyes and Their Facile Transformation into Energy Transfer Cassettes

Multichromophoric boron‐dipyrromethene (Bodipy) dyes synthesized on phenylene‐ethynylene platforms have been be converted to energy transfer cassettes in a one‐step chemical transformation. Excitation energy transfer processes in these highly symmetrical derivatives were studied in detail, including time‐resolved fluorescence spectroscopy techniques. Excitation spectra and the emission lifetimes suggest efficient energy transfer between the donor and acceptor chromophore. These novel energy transfer cassettes, while highlighting a short‐cut approach to similar energy transfer systems, could be useful as large pseudo‐Stokes shift multichromophoric dyes with potential applications in diverse applications.     

A Phototheranostic Strategy to Continuously Deliver Singlet Oxygen in the Dark and Hypoxic Tumor Microenvironment

Continuous irradiation during photodynamic therapy (PDT) inevitably induces tumor hypoxia, thereby weakening the PDT effect. In PDT‐induced hypoxia, providing singlet oxygen from stored chemical energy may enhance the cell‐killing effect and boost the therapeutic effect. Herein, we present a phototheranostic (DPPTPE@PEG‐Py NPs) prepared by using a 2‐pyridone‐based diblock polymer (PEG‐Py) to encapsulate a semiconducting, heavy‐atom‐free pyrrolopyrrolidone‐tetraphenylethylene (DPPTPE) with high singlet‐oxygen‐generation ability both in dichloromethane and water. The PEG‐Py can trap the ¹O₂ generated from DPPTPE under laser irradiation and form a stable intermediate of endoperoxide, which can then release ¹O₂ in the dark, hypoxic tumor microenvironment. Furthermore, fluorescence‐imaging‐guided phototherapy demonstrates that this phototheranostic could completely inhibit tumor growth with the help of laser irradiation.     

基于共轭聚合物的纳米粒子用于肿瘤的近红外二区荧光成像及光热治疗

为提高生物组织荧光成像质量以及对肿瘤的高效光热治疗,设计合成了一种新型的窄带隙共轭聚合物(BDT-TTQ),并通过纳米沉积的方式将聚合物制备成水溶性纳米粒子(BDT-TTQ NPs).该共轭聚合物纳米粒子在1000~1200 nm近红外二区范围具有较好的吸收,在1064 nm的激发光下能实现1200~1400 nm的近红外二区荧光成像. BDT-TTQ NPs纳米粒子粒径分布较窄,形貌呈规则的球形且分散均匀,具有好的生物相容性.该纳米粒子既可以在体外实现较高的近红外二区荧光成像穿透深度,又可以实现对小鼠活体血管的高清晰度的近红外二区荧光成像.此外,BDT-TTQ NPs纳米粒子在1064 nm激光下展现出优异的光热转换效率,具有较高的光毒性,对体外的肿瘤细胞以及小鼠的异质瘤具有高的光热杀伤能力.     

Development of Photoactivated Fluorescent N‐Hydroxyoxindoles and Their Application for Cell‐Selective Imaging

Photoactivatable fluorophores are essential tools for studying the dynamic molecular interactions within important biological systems with high spatiotemporal resolution. However, currently developed photoactivatable fluorophores based on conventional dyes have several limitations including reduced photoactivation efficiency, cytotoxicity, large molecular size, and complicated organic synthesis. To overcome these challenges, we herein report a class of photoactivatable fluorescent N‐hydroxyoxindoles formed through the intramolecular photocyclization of substituted o‐nitrophenyl ethanol (ONPE). These oxindole fluorophores afford excellent photoactivation efficiency with ultra‐high fluorescence enhancement (up to 800‐fold) and are small in size. Furthermore, the oxindole derivatives show exceptional biocompatibility by generating water as the only photolytic side product. Moreover, structure–activity relationship analysis clearly revealed the strong correlation between the fluorescent properties and the substituent groups, which can serve as a guideline for the further development of ONPE‐based fluorescent probes with desired photophysical and biological properties. As a proof‐of‐concept, we demonstrated the capability of a new substituted ONPE that has an uncaging wavelength of 365–405 nm and an excitation/emission at 515 and 620 nm, for the selective imaging of a cancer cell line (Hela cells) and a human neural stem cell line (hNSCs).