Red Fluorescent Probe for Monitoring the Dynamics of Cytoplasmic Calcium Ions

A Native Drug-Free Macromolecular Therapeutic to Trigger Mutual Reinforcing of Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress and Mitochondrial Dysfunction for Cancer Treatment

Drug-free macromolecular therapeutics are promising alternatives to traditional drugs. Nanomedicines with multiple organelles targeting can potentially increase the efficacy. Herein, a drug-free macromolecular therapeutic was designed to formulate endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and mitochondria dual-targeting nanoparticles (EMT-NPs), which can synergistically elicit ER stress and mitochondrial dysfunction. In vitro experiments indicated that EMT-NPs could effectively enter ER and mitochondria at an approximate ratio of 2 to 3. Subsequently, EMT-NPs could upregulate ER stress-related protein expression (IRE1α, CHOP), boosting calcium ion (Ca²⁺) efflux and activating the caspase-12 signaling cascade in cancer cells. In addition, EMT-NPs induced direct oxidative stress in mitochondria; some mitochondrial-related apoptotic events such as decreased mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), upregulation of Bax, cytochrome c release, and caspase-3 activation were also observed for tumor cells upon incubation with EMT-NPs. Furthermore, the leaked Ca²⁺ from ER could induce mitochondrial Ca²⁺ overloading to further augment cancer cell apoptosis. In brief, mitochondrial and ER signaling networks collaborated well to promote cancer cell death. Extended photoacoustic and fluorescence imaging served well for the treatment of in vivo patient-derived xenografts cancer model. This drug-free macromolecular strategy with multiple subcellular targeting provides a potential paradigm for cancer theranostics in precision nanomedicine.

Rational Design of a Near-infrared Fluorescence Probe for Ca2+ Based on Phosphorus-substituted Rhodamines Utilizing Photoinduced Electron Transfer

Fluorescence imaging in the near-infrared (NIR) region (650-900 nm) is useful for bioimaging because background autofluorescence is low and tissue penetration is high in this range. In addition, NIR fluorescence is useful as a complementary color window to green and red for multicolor imaging. Here, we compared the photoinduced electron transfer (PeT)-mediated fluorescence quenching of silicon- and phosphorus-substituted rhodamines (SiRs and PRs) in order to guide the development of improved far-red to NIR fluorescent dyes. The results of density functional theory calculations and photophysical evaluation of a series of newly synthesized PRs confirmed that the fluorescence of PRs was more susceptible than that of SiRs to quenching via PeT. Based on this, we designed and synthesized a NIR fluorescence probe for Ca²⁺ , CaPR-1, and its membrane-permeable acetoxymethyl derivative, CaPR-1 AM, which is distributed to the cytosol, in marked contrast to our previously reported Ca²⁺ far-red to NIR fluorescence probe based on the SiR scaffold, CaSiR-1 AM, which is mainly localized in lysosomes as well as cytosol in living cells. CaPR-1 showed longer-wavelength absorption and emission (up to 712 nm) than CaSiR-1. The new probe was able to image Ca²⁺ at dendrites and spines in brain slices, and should be a useful tool in neuroscience research.

Design and Applications of Small Molecular Probes for Calcium Detection

The physiological significance of calcium ions such as the role in cellular signalling, cell growth, etc. have driven the development of methods to detect and monitor the level of Ca²⁺ ions, both in vivo and in vitro. Although various approaches for the detection of calcium ions have been reported, methods based on small molecular fluorescent probes have unique advantages including small probe size, easy monitoring of detection processes and applicability in biological systems. In this review article, we will discuss the progress in the development of Ca²⁺ -binding fluorescent probes by taking into account the types of chelating groups that have been employed for Ca²⁺ binding.

Hydroxylated Fluorescent Dyes for Live-Cell Labeling: Synthesis, Spectra and Super-Resolution STED

Hydroxylated rhodamines, carbopyronines, silico‐ and germanorhodamines with absorption maxima in the range of 530–640 nm were prepared and applied in specific labeling of living cells. The direct and high‐yielding entry to germa‐ and silaxanthones tolerates the presence of protected heteroatoms and may be considered for the syntheses of various sila‐ and germafluoresceins, as well as ‐rhodols. Application in stimulated emission depletion (STED) fluorescence microscopy revealed a resolution of 50–75 nm in one‐ and two‐color imaging of vimentin‐HaloTag fused protein and native tubulin. The established structure–property relationships allow for prediction of the spectral properties and the positions of spirolactone/zwitterion equilibria for the new analogues of rhodamines, carbo‐, silico‐, and germanorhodamines using simple additive schemes.

A mitochondria-targeted ratiometric two-photon fluorescent probe for biological zinc ions detection

A mitochondria-targeted ratiometric two-photon fluorescent probe (Mito-MPVQ) for biological zinc ions detection was developed based on quinolone platform. Mito-MPVQ showed large red shifts (68 nm) and selective ratiometric signal upon Zn(2+) binding. The ratio of emission intensity (I488 nm/I420 nm) increases dramatically from 0.45 to 3.79 (ca. 8-fold). NMR titration and theoretical calculation confirmed the binding of Mito-MPVQ and Zn(2+). Mito-MPVQ also exhibited large two-photon absorption cross sections (150 GM) at nearly 720 nm and insensitivity to pH within the biologically relevant pH range. Cell imaging indicated that Mito-MPVQ could efficiently located in mitochondria and monitor mitochondrial Zn(2+) under two-photon excitation with low cytotoxicity.