Lysosomal targeting with stable and sensitive fluorescent probes (Superior LysoProbes): applications for lysosome labeling and tracking during apoptosis

Fluorenyl-Loaded Quatsome Nanostructured Fluorescent Probes

Delivery of hydrophobic materials in biological systems, for example, contrast agents or drugs, is an obdurate challenge, severely restricting the use of materials with otherwise advantageous properties. The synthesis and characterization of a highly stable and water-soluble nanovesicle, referred to as a quatsome (QS, vesicle prepared from cholesterol and amphiphilic quaternary amines), that allowed the nanostructuration of a nonwater soluble fluorene-based probe are reported. Photophysical properties of fluorenyl-quatsome nanovesicles were investigated via ultraviolet-visible absorption and fluorescence spectroscopy in various solvents. Colloidal stability and morphology of the nanostructured fluorescent probes were studied via cryogenic transmission electronic microscopy, revealing a "patchy" quatsome vascular morphology. As an example of the utility of these fluorescent nanoprobes, examination of cellular distribution was evaluated in HCT 116 (an epithelial colorectal carcinoma cell line) and COS-7 (an African green monkey kidney cell line) cell lines, demonstrating the selective localization of C-QS and M-QS vesicles in lysosomes with high Pearson's colocalization coefficient, where C-QS and M-QS refer to quatsomes prepared with hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide or tetradecyldimethylbenzylammonium chloride, respectively. Further experiments demonstrated their use in time-dependent lysosomal tracking.

GlcNAc Conjugated Atorvastatin with Enhanced Water Solubility and Cellular Internalization

Targeting ligands facilitate cell specific drug delivery and improve pharmaceutical properties. Herein, we designed two ligand drug conjugates by conjugating GlcNAc (N-acetylglucosamine) with atorvastatin. These two conjugates, termed G-AT and G-K-AT, exhibited enhanced water solubility and cellular uptake. Moreover, both G-AT and G-K-AT were able to release atorvastatin and consequently achieve significant inhibition against 3-hydroxy-3-methyl-glutaryl-coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase.

Ratiometric Fluorescent Probe for Lysosomal pH Measurement and Imaging in Living Cells Using Single-Wavelength Excitation

A novel lysosome-targeting ratiometric fluorescent probe (CQ-Lyso) based on the chromenoquinoline chromorphore has been developed for the selective and sensitive detection of intracellular pH in living cells. In acidic media, the protonation of the quinoline ring of CQ-Lyso induces an enhanced intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) process, which results in large red-shifts in both the absorption (104 nm) and emission (53 nm) spectra which forms the basis of a new ratiometric fluorescence pH sensor. This probe efficiently stains lysosomes with high Pearson's colocalization coefficients using LysoTrackerDeep Red (0.97) and LysoTrackerBlue DND-22 (0.95) as references. Importantly, we show that CQ-Lyso quantitatively measures and images lysosomal pH values in a ratiometric manner using single-wavelength excitation.

Near-Infrared Probe Based on Rhodamine Derivative for Highly Sensitive and Selective Lysosomal pH Tracking

The development of near-infrared fluorescent probes with low pK_a, high selectivity, high photostability, and high sensitivity for lysosomal pH detection is of great importance. In the present work, we developed a novel near-infrared lysosomal pH probe (Lyso-hNR) based on a rhodamine derivative. Lyso-hNR showed fast, highly sensitive, and highly selective fluorescence response to acidic pH caused by the H⁺-induced structure changes from the nonfluorescent spirolactam form to the highly emissive open-ring form. Lyso-hNR displays a significant fluorescence enhancement at 650 nm (over 280-fold) from pH 7.0 to 4.0 with a pK_a value of 5.04. Live cell imaging data revealed that Lyso-hNR can selectively monitor lysosomal pH changes with excellent photostability and low cytotoxicity. In addition, Lyso-hNR can be successfully used in tracking lysosomal pH changes induced by chloroquine and those during apoptosis. All these features render Lyso-hNR a promising candidate to investigate lysosome-associated physiological and pathological processes.

Exploring cells with targeted biosensors

Cellular signaling networks are composed of multiple pathways, often interconnected, that form complex networks with great potential for cross-talk. Signal decoding depends on the nature of the message as well as its amplitude, temporal pattern, and spatial distribution. In addition, the existence of membrane-bound organelles, which are both targets and generators of messages, add further complexity to the system. The availability of sensors that can localize to specific compartments in live cells and monitor their targets with high spatial and temporal resolution is thus crucial for a better understanding of cell pathophysiology. For this reason, over the last four decades, a variety of strategies have been developed, not only to generate novel and more sensitive probes for ions, metabolites, and enzymatic activity, but also to selectively deliver these sensors to specific intracellular compartments. In this review, we summarize the principles that have been used to target organic or protein sensors to different cellular compartments and their application to cellular signaling.

Long-Term Lysosomes Tracking with a Water-Soluble Two-Photon Phosphorescent Iridium(III) Complex

Lysosomes are the stomachs of the cells that degrade endocytosis and intracellular biomacromolecules and participate in various other cellular processes, such as apoptosis and cell migration. The ability of long-term tracking of lysosomes is very important to understand the details of lysosomal functions and to evaluate drug and gene delivery systems. For studying lysosomes, we designed and synthesized a water-soluble triscyclometalated iridium(III) complex (Ir-lyso) attaching morpholine moieties. The phosphorescent intensity of Ir-lyso is responsive to pH and decreases with an increase in the pH but not quenching in high pH. With excellent two-photon properties, Ir-lyso was used to light up the lysosomes in living cells and 3D tumor spheroids. Moreover, Ir-lyso could label lysosomes more than 4 days, so we developed this complex to act as a long-term probe for tracking lysosomes during cell migration and apoptosis. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first paradigm of metal complexes as the two-photon phosphorescent probe for long-term lysosomes tracking.

Engineering Lysosome-Targeting BODIPY Nanoparticles for Photoacoustic Imaging and Photodynamic Therapy under Near-Infrared Light

Developing lysosome-targeting organic nanoparticles combined with photoacoustic imaging (PAI) and photodynamic therapy (PDT) functions toward personalized medicine are highly desired yet challenging. Here, for the first time, lysosome-targeting BODIPY nanoparticles were engineered by encapsulating near-infrared (NIR) absorbed BODIPY dye within amphiphilic DSPE-mPEG5000 for high-performing lysosomal PAI and acid-activatable PDT against cancer cells under NIR light.

A lysosome targetable luminescent bioprobe based on a europium β-diketonate complex for cellular imaging applications

A unique bright luminescent europium coordination compound with excellent biocompatibility has been developed that serves as a selective bioprobe for particular organelles within the cells.