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Jin C, Yang L, Fang N, Li B, Zhu HL, Li Z. A novel near-infrared fluorescent probe for real-time monitoring of leucine aminopeptidase activity and metastatic tumor progression. Talanta 2024; 275:126151. [PMID: 38678927 DOI: 10.1016/j.talanta.2024.126151] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2024] [Revised: 04/22/2024] [Accepted: 04/23/2024] [Indexed: 05/01/2024]
Abstract
This article discusses the importance of early tumor detection, particularly in liver cancer, and the role of leucine aminopeptidase (LAP) as a potential marker for liver cancer diagnosis and prognosis assessment. The article highlights the limitations of current tumor markers and the need for new markers and multi-marker approaches to improve accuracy. The authors introduce a novel near-infrared fluorescent probe, NTAP, designed for LAP detection. They describe the synthesis of the probe and evaluate its spectral properties, including the LOD was 0.0038 U/mL, and QY was 0.32 %. The kinetic properties of NTAP, such as the relationship between LAP concentration (0-0.08 U/mL), reaction time (3 min), and fluorescence excitation spectra (475 nm) and emission spectra (715 nm) are investigated. The article also discusses the stability and selectivity of the probe and its ability to detect LAP in complex samples. Cellular imaging experiments demonstrate the NATP specificity and selectivity in detecting LAP activity and its inhibition. Animal models of liver and lung metastasis are used to evaluate the probe's imaging capabilities, showing its ability to accurately locate and detect metastatic lesions. The article concludes by emphasizing the potential applications of the NTAP probe in early tumor diagnosis, treatment monitoring, and the study of tumor metastasis mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chen Jin
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, No.163 Xianlin Road, Nanjing, 210023, China
| | - Longyang Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, No.163 Xianlin Road, Nanjing, 210023, China
| | - Ning Fang
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, No.163 Xianlin Road, Nanjing, 210023, China
| | - Bowen Li
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, NationalUniversity of Singapore, 4 Engineering Drive 4, Singapore, 117585, Singapore.
| | - Hai-Liang Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, No.163 Xianlin Road, Nanjing, 210023, China.
| | - Zhen Li
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, No.163 Xianlin Road, Nanjing, 210023, China.
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2
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Xu C, Cui K, Ye Z, Feng Y, Wang H, Liu HW. Recent Advances of Aminopeptidases-Responsive Small-Molecular Probes for Bioimaging. Chem Asian J 2024; 19:e202400052. [PMID: 38436107 DOI: 10.1002/asia.202400052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2024] [Revised: 03/03/2024] [Accepted: 03/04/2024] [Indexed: 03/05/2024]
Abstract
Aminopeptidases, enzymes with critical roles in human body, are emerging as vital biomarkers for metabolic processes and diseases. Aberrant aminopeptidase levels are often associated with diseases, particularly cancer. Small-molecule probes, such as fluorescent, fluorescent/photoacoustics, bioluminescent, and chemiluminescent probes, are essential tools in the study of aminopeptidases-related diseases. The fluorescent probes provide real-time insights into protein activities, offering high sensitivity in specific locations, and precise spatiotemporal results. Additionally, photoacoustic probes offer signals that are able to penetrate deeper tissues. Bioluminescent and chemiluminescent probes can enhance in vivo imaging abilities by reducing the background. This comprehensive review is focused on small-molecule probes that respond to four key aminopeptidases: aminopeptidase N, leucine aminopeptidase, Pyroglutamate aminopeptidase 1, and Prolyl Aminopeptidase, and their utilization in imaging tumors and afflicted regions. In this review, the design strategy of small-molecule probes, the variety of designs from previous studies, and the opportunities of future bioimaging applications are discussed, serving as a roadmap for future research, sparking innovations in aminopeptidase-responsive probe development, and enhancing our understanding of these enzymes in disease diagnostics and treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chengyan Xu
- Department of Medicine, Shizhen College of Guizhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Guiyang, 550200, China
| | - Kaixi Cui
- Department of Chemistry, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, 44106, United States
| | - Zhifei Ye
- State Key Laboratory for Chemo/Biosensing and Chemometrics, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha, 410082, China
| | - Yurong Feng
- State Key Laboratory for Chemo/Biosensing and Chemometrics, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha, 410082, China
| | - Huabin Wang
- College of Pharmacy, Guizhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Guiyang, 550025, China
| | - Hong-Wen Liu
- State Key Laboratory for Chemo/Biosensing and Chemometrics, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha, 410082, China
- Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology and Traditional Chinese Medicine Research, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, 410081, China
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Jiang R, Xia Y, Liu Q, Zhang H, Yang X, He L, Cheng D. Carboxylesterase-activated near-infrared fluorescence probe for highly sensitive imaging of liver tumors. J Mater Chem B 2024; 12:1530-1537. [PMID: 38251432 DOI: 10.1039/d3tb02759g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/23/2024]
Abstract
Carboxylesterases (CESs) are critical for metabolizing ester-containing biomolecules and are specifically important in liver metabolic disorders. The modulation of CESs is also an important issue in pharmacology and clinical applications. Herein, we present a near-infrared (NIR) CES fluorescent probe (NCES) based on the protection-deprotection of the hydroxyl group for monitoring CES levels in living systems. The NCES probe has good selectivity and sensitivity for CESs with a limit of detection (LOD) of 5.24 mU mL-1, which allows for tracing the fluctuation of cellular CES after treatment with anticancer drugs and under inflammation and apoptosis states. Furthermore, NCES can be successfully applied for guiding liver cancer surgery with high-contrast in vivo imaging and detecting clinical serum samples from liver cancer patients. This work showed that the NCES probe has great potential in drug development, imaging applications for medical diagnosis, and early-stage detection for clinical liver diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Renfeng Jiang
- Hunan Province Cooperative Innovation Center for Molecular Target New Drug Study, School of Pharmaceutical Science, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang 421002, Hunan, China.
| | - Yuqing Xia
- Hunan Provincial Clinical Research Center for Metabolic Associated Fatty Liver Disease, Clinical Research Institute, the Affiliated Nanhua Hospital, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang 421002, Hunan, China.
| | - Qian Liu
- Hunan Provincial Clinical Research Center for Metabolic Associated Fatty Liver Disease, Clinical Research Institute, the Affiliated Nanhua Hospital, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang 421002, Hunan, China.
| | - Hongshuai Zhang
- Department of Gastroenterology, the Affiliated Nanhua Hospital, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang 421002, Hunan Province, China.
- Hunan Provincial Clinical Research Center for Metabolic Associated Fatty Liver Disease, Clinical Research Institute, the Affiliated Nanhua Hospital, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang 421002, Hunan, China.
| | - Xuefeng Yang
- Department of Gastroenterology, the Affiliated Nanhua Hospital, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang 421002, Hunan Province, China.
- Hunan Provincial Clinical Research Center for Metabolic Associated Fatty Liver Disease, Clinical Research Institute, the Affiliated Nanhua Hospital, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang 421002, Hunan, China.
| | - Longwei He
- Hunan Province Cooperative Innovation Center for Molecular Target New Drug Study, School of Pharmaceutical Science, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang 421002, Hunan, China.
| | - Dan Cheng
- Department of Gastroenterology, the Affiliated Nanhua Hospital, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang 421002, Hunan Province, China.
- Hunan Provincial Clinical Research Center for Metabolic Associated Fatty Liver Disease, Clinical Research Institute, the Affiliated Nanhua Hospital, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang 421002, Hunan, China.
- Hunan Province Cooperative Innovation Center for Molecular Target New Drug Study, School of Pharmaceutical Science, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang 421002, Hunan, China.
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Liu HJ, Zhang G, Xu YJ, Sun R, Ge JF. Fluorescence Enhancement of Adamantane-Modified Dyes in Aqueous Solution via Supramolecular Interaction with Methyl-β-cyclodextrin and Their Application in Cell Imaging. Chemistry 2023; 29:e202302782. [PMID: 37749057 DOI: 10.1002/chem.202302782] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2023] [Revised: 09/24/2023] [Accepted: 09/25/2023] [Indexed: 09/27/2023]
Abstract
The fluorescence of functional dyes was generally quenched in aqueous solution, which hindered their application in water-bearing detections. In this work, a novel strategy based on host-guest interaction was provided for the purpose of fluorescence enhancement in aqueous solution and cell imaging. Three adamantane-modified fluorescent dyes (Coum-Ad, NP-Ad, NR-Ad) with coumarin, 1,8-naphthalimide and Nile Red as fluorophores were initially designed and prepared. The ((adamantan-1-yl)methyl)amino group, as the auxochrome of those dyes, complexed with methylated β-cyclodextrin (M-β-CD) via supramolecular interaction, and then fluorescent supramolecular nanoparticles (FSNPs) were formed by self-assembly in water. The inclusion equilibrium constant (K) could be as high as 3.94×104 M-1 . With the addition of M-β-CD, fluorescence quantum yields of these dyes were separately improved to 69.8 %, 32.9 % and 41.3 %. Inspired by the above satisfactory results, six adamantane-modified probes organelle-NPAds with organelle-targeting capability were further obtained. As the formation of hydrogen bonds between organelle-NPAd2 and M-β-CD verified by theoretical calculation, K of organelle-NPAd2 (5.13×104 M-1 ~4.53×105 M-1 ) with M-β-CD was higher than that of organelle-NPAd1 (1.15×104 M-1 ~3.66×104 M-1 ) and their fluorescence quantum yields increased to 32.8 %~83.6 % in aqueous solution. In addition, fluorescence enhancement was realized in cell imaging with the addition of M-β-CD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hong-Jiao Liu
- College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Material Science, Soochow University, Jiangsu, Suzhou, 215123, P.R. China
| | - Gang Zhang
- School of Radiation Medicine and Protection, Medical College of Soochow University, Soochow University, Jiangsu, Suzhou, 215123, P.R. China
| | - Yu-Jie Xu
- School of Radiation Medicine and Protection, Medical College of Soochow University, Soochow University, Jiangsu, Suzhou, 215123, P.R. China
| | - Ru Sun
- College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Material Science, Soochow University, Jiangsu, Suzhou, 215123, P.R. China
| | - Jian-Feng Ge
- College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Material Science, Soochow University, Jiangsu, Suzhou, 215123, P.R. China
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Medical Optics, Suzhou Institute of Bio-medical Engineering and Technology, Chinese Academy of Science, Suzhou, 215163, P.R. China
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Li X, Liu C, Zhu H, Wang K, Ren X, Ma L, Zhang X, Liu M, Zhu B. Recent advances in small-molecule fluorescent probes with the function of targeting cancer receptors. ANALYTICAL METHODS : ADVANCING METHODS AND APPLICATIONS 2023; 15:5947-5977. [PMID: 37909733 DOI: 10.1039/d3ay01387a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2023]
Abstract
Cancer is "the sword of Damocles" that threatens human life and health. Therefore, the diagnosis and treatment of cancer have been receiving much attention. Many overexpressed receptors on the surface of cancer cells provide us with an effective way to specifically identify the cancer cells, and receptor targeting strategies are becoming one of the hot ideas to enhance the ability of fluorescent probes to target tumors. Fluorescent probes connected to ligands are targeted at cancer cell surfaces through receptor-mediated endocytosis. Receptor-targeting probes can image and track cancer cells, determine tumor boundaries, monitor deep lesions, and play a role in clinical medicine, such as fluorescent imaging-guided surgery. In this review, based on the perspective of small molecule fluorescent probes, we reviewed the design ideas, photophysical properties, and applications of receptor-targeting probes for detecting biomarkers in imaging and tracing cancer cells and prospected the future developmental direction of such probes. We hope that this review will provide more ideas for the design and development of active targeting probes for receptors and lead to more applications in the medical field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinke Li
- School of Water Conservancy and Environment, University of Jinan, Jinan 250022, China.
| | - Caiyun Liu
- School of Water Conservancy and Environment, University of Jinan, Jinan 250022, China.
| | - Hanchuang Zhu
- School of Water Conservancy and Environment, University of Jinan, Jinan 250022, China.
| | - Kun Wang
- School of Water Conservancy and Environment, University of Jinan, Jinan 250022, China.
| | - Xiaohua Ren
- School of Water Conservancy and Environment, University of Jinan, Jinan 250022, China.
| | - Lixue Ma
- School of Water Conservancy and Environment, University of Jinan, Jinan 250022, China.
| | - Xiaohui Zhang
- School of Water Conservancy and Environment, University of Jinan, Jinan 250022, China.
| | - Mengyuan Liu
- School of Water Conservancy and Environment, University of Jinan, Jinan 250022, China.
| | - Baocun Zhu
- School of Water Conservancy and Environment, University of Jinan, Jinan 250022, China.
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Jiang R, Zeng J, Liu Q, Li S, He L, Cheng D. Engineering a near-infrared LAP fluorescent probe with high sensitivity and selectivity for surgical resection of liver cancer. J Mater Chem B 2023; 11:9459-9466. [PMID: 37728020 DOI: 10.1039/d3tb01627g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/21/2023]
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a type of cancer associated with a high rate of mortality and morbidity. In order to achieve precise HCC theranostics, it is important to develop excellent fluorescent probes. However, the existing probes are not sensitive or specific enough to accurately identify HCC margins and contours. For diagnosing HCC and identifying tumors during surgery, it is urgent to engineer highly sensitive and selective fluorescent probes. Liver tumor progression is closely associated with leucine aminopeptidase (LAP) overexpression, a biomarker of liver cancer. Herein, we have rationally designed a NIR fluorescent probe, NLAP, which is specially activated by LAP. The probe exhibited high sensitivity (detection limit = 6.8 mU L-1) and superior affinity (Km = 2.98 μM) for LAP. With this probe, we distinguished cancer cells overexpressing LAP from normal cells and applied it intraoperatively to guide liver tumor excisions. Furthermore, NLAP was employed to successfully detect the LAP of intestinal and splenic metastatic tumors in orthotopic liver tumor mice by "in situ spraying" and good performances were demonstrated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Renfeng Jiang
- Hunan Province Cooperative Innovation Center for Molecular Target New Drug Study, School of Pharmaceutical Science, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang 421002, Hunan, China.
| | - Jiayu Zeng
- Hunan Province Cooperative Innovation Center for Molecular Target New Drug Study, School of Pharmaceutical Science, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang 421002, Hunan, China.
| | - Qian Liu
- Clinical Research Institute, the Affiliated Nanhua Hospital, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang 421002, Hunan, China.
| | - Songjiao Li
- Hunan Province Cooperative Innovation Center for Molecular Target New Drug Study, School of Pharmaceutical Science, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang 421002, Hunan, China.
| | - Longwei He
- Hunan Province Cooperative Innovation Center for Molecular Target New Drug Study, School of Pharmaceutical Science, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang 421002, Hunan, China.
| | - Dan Cheng
- Clinical Research Institute, the Affiliated Nanhua Hospital, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang 421002, Hunan, China.
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