Dynamic Quenching of Porphyrin Triplet States by Two-Photon Absorbing Dyes: Towards Two-Photon-Enhanced Oxygen Nanosensors

Molecular near-infrared triplet-triplet annihilation upconversion with eigen oxygen immunity

Molecular triplet-triplet annihilation upconversion often experiences drastic luminescence quenching in the presence of oxygen molecules, posing a significant constraint on practical use in aerated conditions. We present an oxygen-immune near-infrared triplet-triplet annihilation upconversion system utilizing non-organometallic cyanine sensitizers (λex = 808 nm) and chemically synthesized benzo[4,5]thieno[2,3-b][1,2,5]thiadiazolo[3,4-g]quinoxaline dyes with a defined dimer structure as annihilators (λem = 650 nm). This system exhibits ultrastable upconversion under continuous laser irradiance (>480 mins) or extended storage (>7 days) in aerated solutions. Mechanistic investigations reveal rapid triplet-triplet energy transfer from sensitizer to annihilators, accompanied by remarkably low triplet oxygen quenching efficiencies (η O 2  < 13% for the sensitizer, <3.7% for the annihilator), endowing the bicomponent triplet-triplet annihilation system with inherent oxygen immunity. Our findings unlock the direct and potent utilization of triplet-triplet annihilation upconversion systems in real-world applications, demonstrated by the extended and sensitive nanosensing of peroxynitrite radicals in the liver under in vivo nitrosative stress.

The Challenges of O2 Detection in Biological Fluids: Classical Methods and Translation to Clinical Applications

Dissolved oxygen (DO) is deeply involved in preserving the life of cellular tissues and human beings due to its key role in cellular metabolism: its alterations may reflect important pathophysiological conditions. DO levels are measured to identify pathological conditions, explain pathophysiological mechanisms, and monitor the efficacy of therapeutic approaches. This is particularly relevant when the measurements are performed in vivo but also in contexts where a variety of biological and synthetic media are used, such as ex vivo organ perfusion. A reliable measurement of medium oxygenation ensures a high-quality process. It is crucial to provide a high-accuracy, real-time method for DO quantification, which could be robust towards different medium compositions and temperatures. In fact, biological fluids and synthetic clinical fluids represent a challenging environment where DO interacts with various compounds and can change continuously and dynamically, and further precaution is needed to obtain reliable results. This study aims to present and discuss the main oxygen detection and quantification methods, focusing on the technical needs for their translation to clinical practice. Firstly, we resumed all the main methodologies and advancements concerning dissolved oxygen determination. After identifying the main groups of all the available techniques for DO sensing based on their mechanisms and applicability, we focused on transferring the most promising approaches to a clinical in vivo/ex vivo setting.

Neurophotonic tools for microscopic measurements and manipulation: status report

Neurophotonics was launched in 2014 coinciding with the launch of the BRAIN Initiative focused on development of technologies for advancement of neuroscience. For the last seven years, Neurophotonics' agenda has been well aligned with this focus on neurotechnologies featuring new optical methods and tools applicable to brain studies. While the BRAIN Initiative 2.0 is pivoting towards applications of these novel tools in the quest to understand the brain, this status report reviews an extensive and diverse toolkit of novel methods to explore brain function that have emerged from the BRAIN Initiative and related large-scale efforts for measurement and manipulation of brain structure and function. Here, we focus on neurophotonic tools mostly applicable to animal studies. A companion report, scheduled to appear later this year, will cover diffuse optical imaging methods applicable to noninvasive human studies. For each domain, we outline the current state-of-the-art of the respective technologies, identify the areas where innovation is needed, and provide an outlook for the future directions.

High-resolution imaging of the osteogenic and angiogenic interface at the site of murine cranial bone defect repair via multiphoton microscopy

The spatiotemporal blood vessel formation and specification at the osteogenic and angiogenic interface of murine cranial bone defect repair were examined utilizing a high-resolution multiphoton-based imaging platform in conjunction with advanced optical techniques that allow interrogation of the oxygen microenvironment and cellular energy metabolism in living animals. Our study demonstrates the dynamic changes of vessel types, that is, arterial, venous, and capillary vessel networks at the superior and dura periosteum of cranial bone defect, suggesting a differential coupling of the vessel type with osteoblast expansion and bone tissue deposition/remodeling during repair. Employing transgenic reporter mouse models that label distinct types of vessels at the site of repair, we further show that oxygen distributions in capillary vessels at the healing site are heterogeneous as well as time- and location-dependent. The endothelial cells coupling to osteoblasts prefer glycolysis and are less sensitive to microenvironmental oxygen changes than osteoblasts. In comparison, osteoblasts utilize relatively more OxPhos and potentially consume more oxygen at the site of repair. Taken together, our study highlights the dynamics and functional significance of blood vessel types at the site of defect repair, opening up opportunities for further delineating the oxygen and metabolic microenvironment at the interface of bone tissue regeneration.

Spatiotemporal blood vessel specification at the osteogenesis and angiogenesis interface of biomimetic nanofiber-enabled bone tissue engineering

While extensive research has demonstrated an interdependent role of osteogenesis and angiogenesis in bone tissue engineering, little is known about how functional blood vessel networks are organized to initiate and facilitate bone tissue regeneration. Building upon the success of a biomimetic composite nanofibrous construct capable of supporting donor progenitor cell-dependent regeneration, we examined the angiogenic response and spatiotemporal blood vessel specification at the osteogenesis and angiogenesis interface of cranial bone defect repair utilizing high resolution multiphoton laser scanning microscopy (MPLSM) in conjunction with intravital imaging. We demonstrate here that the regenerative vasculature can be specified as arterial and venous capillary vessels based upon endothelial surface markers of CD31 and Endomucin (EMCN), with CD31⁺EMCN^- vessels exhibiting higher flowrate and higher oxygen tension (pO₂) than CD31⁺EMCN⁺ vessels. The donor osteoblast clusters are uniquely coupled to the sprouting CD31⁺EMCN⁺ vessels connecting to CD31⁺EMCN^- vessels. Further analyses reveal differential vascular response and vessel type distribution in healing and non-healing defects, associated with changes of gene sets that control sprouting and morphogenesis of blood vessels. Collectively, our study highlights the key role of spatiotemporal vessel type distribution in bone tissue engineering, offering new insights for devising more effective vascularization strategies for bone tissue engineering.

Design of two-photon absorbing fluorophores for FRET antenna-core oxygen probes

Four two-photon absorbing fluorophores A1–A4 are reported and their spectroscopic properties are analyzed for use, in combination with palladium–porphyrinato complexes C1 and C2, as two-photon absorbing antennas and energy donors for FRET-based antenna-core oxygen sensitive phosphorescent probes.

Cooperative porphyrin-quadrupolar based triad for combined two-photon induced fluorescence and singlet oxygen generation

The design and synthesis of a cooperative multichromophoric triad system which combines the large two-photon absorption properties of fluorene-cored bis-donor quadropolar dyes and the remarkable sensitizing properties of the porphyrin subunit (i.e. high intersystem crossing and ability to produce singlet oxygen by energy transfer to oxygen from its triplet excited state) is described. After irradiation the energy can be transferred from the quadrupolar chromophores to the porphyrin with an estimated 80% efficiency via a FRET process. Moreover both the two-photon absorption properties of the quadrupolar subunits and the sensitizing and fluorescence properties of the porphyrin are retained indicating that deleterious competing processes (such as photo-induced electron transfer) are prevented in such molecular architectures thanks to the implemented design. As a result, the two-photon absorption induced singlet oxygen generation efficiency of the triad in the NIR region is found to be enhanced by an order of magnitude as compared to the porphyin subunit. Potential applications of these porphyrin-based multichromophoric systems for photodynamic therapy based upon two-photon excitation in the NIR region might be possible since it overcomes the low two-photon absorption response of porphyrin while fully retaining their remarkable photosensitizing properties.

Electron-Transfer Kinetics within Supramolecular Assemblies of Donor Tetrapyrrolytic Dyes and an Acceptor Palladium Cluster

9,18,27,36-Tetrakis[meso-(4-carboxyphenyl)]tetrabenzoporphyrinatozinc(II) (TCPBP, as a sodium salt) was prepared in order to compare its photoinduced electron-transfer behavior toward unsaturated cluster Pd3(dppm)3(CO)(2+) ([Pd3(2+)]; dppm = Ph2PCH2PPh2 as a PF6(-) salt) with that of 5,10,15,20-tetrakis[meso-(4-carboxyphenyl)]porphyrinatozinc(II) (TCPP) in nonluminescent assemblies of the type dye···[Pd3(2+)]x (x = 0-4; dye = TCPP and TCPBP) using femtosecond transient absorption spectroscopy. Binding constants extracted from UV-vis titration methods are the same as those extracted from fluorescence quenching measurements (static model), and both indicate that the TCPBP···[Pd3(2+)]x assemblies (K14 = 36000 M(-1)) are slightly more stable than those for TCPP···[Pd3(2+)]x (K14 = 27000 M(-1)). Density functional theory computations (B3LYP) corroborate this finding because the average ionic Pd···O distance is shorter in the TCPBP···[Pd3(2+)] assembly compared to that for TCPP···[Pd3(2+)]. Despite the difference in the binding constants and excited-state driving forces for the photoinduced electron transfer in dye*···[Pd3(2+)] → dye(•+)···[Pd3(•+)], the time scale for this process is ultrafast in both cases (<85 fs). The time scales for the back electron transfers (dye(•+)···[Pd3(•+)] → dye···[Pd3(2+)]) occurring in the various observed species (dye···[Pd3(2+)]x; x = 0-4) are the same for both series of assemblies. It is concluded that the structural modification on going from porphyrin to tetrabenzoporphyrin does not greatly affect the kinetic behavior in these processes.

Effect of Metalation on Porphyrin-Based Bifunctional Agents in Tumor Imaging and Photodynamic Therapy

Herein we report the syntheses and comparative photophysical, electrochemical, in vitro, and in vivo biological efficacy of 3-(1'-hexyloxy)ethyl-3-devinylpyropheophorbide-cyanine dye (HPPH-CD) and the corresponding indium (In), gallium (Ga), and palladium (Pd) conjugates. The insertion of a heavy metal in the HPPH moiety makes a significant difference in FRET (Förster resonance energy transfer) and electrochemical properties, which correlates with singlet oxygen production [a key cytotoxic agent for photodynamic therapy (PDT)] and long-term in vivo PDT efficacy. Among the metalated analogs, the In(III) HPPH-CD showed the best cancer imaging and PDT efficacy. Interestingly, in contrast to free base HPPH-CD, which requires a significantly higher therapeutic dose (2.5 μmol/kg) than imaging dose (0.3 μmol/kg), the corresponding In(III) HPPH-CD showed excellent imaging and therapeutic potential at a remarkably low dose (0.3 μmol/kg) in BALB/c mice bearing Colon26 tumors. A comparative study of metalated and corresponding nonmetalated conjugates further confirmed that STAT-3 dimerization can be used as a biomarker for determining the level of photoreaction and tumor response.

Interplay between singlet and triplet excited states in a conformationally locked donor–acceptor dyad

The synthesis and photophysical characterization of a palladium(ii) porphyrin – anthracene dyad bridged via short and conformationally rigid bicyclo[2.2.2]octadiene spacer were achieved.

Two-photon antenna-core oxygen probe with enhanced performance

Recent development of two-photon phosphorescence lifetime microscopy (2PLM) of oxygen enabled first noninvasive high-resolution measurements of tissue oxygenation in vivo in 3D, providing valuable physiological information. The so far developed two-photon-enhanced phosphorescent probes comprise antenna-core constructs, in which two-photon absorbing chromophores (antenna) capture and channel excitation energy to a phosphorescent core (metalloporphyrin) via intramolecular excitation energy transfer (EET). These probes allowed demonstration of the methods' potential; however, they suffer from a number of limitations, such as partial loss of emissivity to competing triplet state deactivation pathways (e.g., electron transfer) and suboptimal sensitivity to oxygen, thereby limiting spatial and temporal resolution of the method. Here we present a new probe, PtTCHP-C307, designed to overcome these limitations. The key improvements include significant increase in the phosphorescence quantum yield, higher efficiency of the antenna-core energy transfer, minimized quenching of the phosphorescence by electron transfer and increased signal dynamic range. For the same excitation flux, the new probe is able to produce up to 6-fold higher signal output than previously reported molecules. Performance of PtTCHP-C307 was demonstrated in vivo in pO2 measurements through the intact mouse skull into the bone marrow, where all blood cells are made from hematopoietic stem cells.

Optical methods for sensing and imaging oxygen: materials, spectroscopies and applications

We review the current state of optical methods for sensing oxygen. These have become powerful alternatives to electrochemical detection and in the process of replacing the Clark electrode in many fields. The article (with 694 references) is divided into main sections on direct spectroscopic sensing of oxygen, on absorptiometric and luminescent probes, on polymeric matrices and supports, on additives and related materials, on spectroscopic schemes for read-out and imaging, and on sensing formats (such as waveguide sensing, sensor arrays, multiple sensors and nanosensors). We finally discuss future trends and applications and summarize the properties of the most often used indicator probes and polymers. The ESI† (with 385 references) gives a selection of specific applications of such sensors in medicine, biology, marine and geosciences, intracellular sensing, aerodynamics, industry and biotechnology, among others.

Electrochemistry of platinum(II) porphyrins: effect of substituents and π-extension on redox potentials and site of electron transfer

Fourteen platinum(II) porphyrins with different π-conjugated macrocycles and different electron-donating or electron-withdrawing substituents were investigated as to their electrochemical and spectroscopic properties in nonaqueous media. Eight compounds have the formula (Ar(4)P)Pt(II), where Ar(4)P = the dianion of a tetraarylporphyrin, while six have π-extented macrocycles with four β,β'-fused benzo or naphtho groups and are represented as (TBP)Pt(II) and (TNP)Pt(II) where TBP and TNP are the dianions of tetrabenzoporphyrin and tetranaphthoporphyrin, respectively. Each Pt(II) porphyrin undergoes two reversible one-electron reductions and one to three reversible one-electron oxidations in nonaqueous media. These reactions were characterized by cyclic voltammetry, UV-visible thin-layer spectroelectrochemistry and in some cases by ESR spectroscopy. The two reductions invariably occur at the conjugated π-ring system to yield relatively stable Pt(II) π-anion radicals and dianions. The first oxidation leads to a stable π-cation radical for each investigated porphyrin; but in the case of tetraarylporphyrins containing electron-withdrawing substituents, the product of the second oxidation may undergo an internal electron transfer to give a Pt(IV) porphyrin with an unoxidized macrocycle. The effects of macrocycle structure on UV-visible spectra, oxidation/reduction potentials, and site of electron transfer are discussed.

Generation of phosphorescent triplet states via photoinduced electron transfer: energy and electron transfer dynamics in Pt porphyrin-Rhodamine B dyads

Control over generation and dynamics of excited electronic states is fundamental to their utilization in all areas of technology. We present the first example of multichromophoric systems in which emissive triplet states are generated via a pathway involving photoinduced electron transfer (ET), as opposed to local intrachromophoric processes. In model dyads, PtP-Ph(n)-pRhB(+) (1-3, n = 1-3), comprising platinum(II) meso-tetraarylporphyrin (PtP) and Rhodamine B piperazine derivative (pRhB(+)), linked by oligo-p-phenylene bridges (Ph(n)), upon selective excitation of pRhB(+) at a frequency below that of the lowest allowed transition of PtP, room-temperature T(1)→S(0) phosphorescence of PtP was observed. The pathway leading to the emissive PtP triplet state includes excitation of pRhB(+), ET with formation of the singlet radical pair, intersystem crossing within that pair, and subsequent radical recombination. Because of the close proximity of the triplet energy levels of PtP and pRhB(+), reversible triplet-triplet (TT) energy transfer between these states was observed in dyads 1 and 2. As a result, the phosphorescence of PtP was extended in time by the long decay of the pRhB(+) triplet. Observation of ET and TT in the same series of molecules enabled direct comparison of the distance attenuation factors β between these two closely related processes.

Design of Metalloporphyrin-Based Dendritic Nanoprobes for Two-Photon Microscopy of Oxygen

Metalloporphyrin-based phosphorescent nanoprobes are being developed for two-photon microscopy of oxygen. In these molecular constructs generation of porphyrin triplet states upon two-photon excitation is induced upon the intramolecular Förster-type resonance energy transfer from a covalently attached 2P antenna. In the earlier developed prototypes, electron transfer between the antenna and the metalloporphyrin strongly interfered with the phosphorescence, reducing the sensitivity and the dynamic range of the sensors. By tuning the distances between the antenna and the core and adjusting their redox potentials the unwanted electron transfer could be prevented. An array of phosphorescent Pt porphyrins (energy transfer acceptors) and 2P dyes (energy transfer donors) was screened using dynamic quenching of phosphorescence, and the FRET-pair with the minimal ET rate was identified. This pair, consisting of Coumarin-343 and Pt meso-tetra-(4-alkoxyphenyl)porphyrin, was used to construct a probe in which the antenna fragments were linked to the termini of G3 poly(arylglycine) (AG) dendrimer with PtP core. The folded dendrimer formed an insulating layer between the porphyrin and the antenna, simultaneously controlling the rate of oxygen quenching (Stern-Volmer oxygen quenching constant). Modification of the dendrimer periphery with oligoethyleneglycol residues made the probe's signal insensitive to the presence of proteins and other macromolecular solutes.

Photosensitizer-doped conjugated polymer nanoparticles for simultaneous two-photon imaging and two-photon photodynamic therapy in living cells

Photosensitizer doped conjugated polymer nanoparticles have been prepared by incorporating polyoxyethylene nonylphenylether (CO-520) into the nanoparticles using a re-precipitation method. The conjugated polymer, poly[9,9-dibromohexylfluorene-2,7-ylenethylene-alt-1,4-(2,5-dimethoxy)phenylene] (PFEMO), was used as the host matrix to disperse tetraphenylporphyrin (TPP) and an energy donor to enhance the two-photon excitation properties of TPP. These CO-520 incorporated, TPP-doped PFEMO nanoparticles are stable and have low cytotoxicity in the dark. The TPP emission of the nanoparticles was found to be enhanced by about 20 times by PFEMO under two-photon excitation. The nanoparticles showed significantly enhanced two-photon excitation singlet oxygen generation efficiency and two-photon photodynamic therapy activity in cancer cells. These composite nanoparticles display features required for ideal photosensitizers, such as low cytotoxicity in the dark and efficient two-photon photodynamic activity under laser radiation. In addition, these novel nano-photosensitizers allow simultaneous in vivo monitoring by two-photon fluorescence imaging during two-photon photodynamic treatment. These photosensitizer-doped conjugated polymer nanoparticles can act as novel photosensitizing agents for two-photon photodynamic therapy and related applications.

Two-photon microscopy of oxygen: polymersomes as probe carrier vehicles

Oxygen concentration distributions in biological systems can be imaged by the phosphorescence quenching method in combination with two-photon laser scanning microscopy. In this paper, we identified the excitation regime in which the signal of a two-photon-enhanced phosphorescent probe (Finikova, O. S.; Lebedev, A. Y.; Aprelev, A.; Troxler, T.; Gao, F.; Garnacho, C.; Muro, S.; Hochstrasser, R. M.; Vinogradov, S. A. ChemPhysChem 2008, 9, 1673-1679) is dependent quadratically on the excitation power (quadratic regime), and performed simulations that relate the photophysical properties of the probe to the imaging resolution. Further, we characterized polymersomes as a method of probe encapsulation and delivery. Photophysical and oxygen sensing properties of the probe were found unchanged when the probe is encapsulated in polymersomes. Polymersomes were found capable of sustaining high probe concentrations, thereby serving to improve the signal-to-noise ratios for oxygen detection compared to the previously employed probe delivery methods. Imaging of polymersomes loaded with the probe was used as a test-bed for a new method.

First electrogeneration of a platinum(IV) porphyrin: elucidation of the Pt(II/IV) and Pt(IV/II) oxidation-reduction processes in nonaqueous media

The first example for electrogeneration of a Pt(IV) porphyrin from its Pt(II) form is presented and the Pt(II/IV) and reverse Pt(IV/II) oxidation-reduction processes are elucidated by electrochemistry and thin-layer UV-visible spectroelectrochemistry. Three products, [(TPP˙(+))Pt(II)](+), [(TPP)Pt(IV)](2+) and [(TPP˙(+))Pt(IV)](3+), produced by electrooxidation of the Pt(II) porphyrin have been characterized by in situ spectroelectrochemistry and ESR measurements after controlled potential bulk electrolysis. The first definitive evidence for the electrochemical conversion of a Pt(iv) porphyrin to its Pt(II) form is also presented. The potential for this electroreduction is highly dependent upon the nature of the anion, ClO(4)(-) or Cl(-). A mechanism for the reversible conversion between Pt(II) and Pt(IV) tetraphenylporphyrins is proposed.

Triplet imaging of oxygen consumption during the contraction of a single smooth muscle cell (A7r5)

The measurement of tissue and cell oxygenation is important for understanding cell metabolism. We have addressed this problem with a novel optical technique, called triplet imaging, that exploits oxygen-induced triplet lifetime changes and is compatible with a variety of fluorophores. A modulated excitation of varying pulse widths allows the extraction of the lifetime of the essentially dark triplet state using a high-fluorescence signal intensity. This enables the monitoring of fast kinetics of oxygen concentration in living cells combined with high temporal and spatial resolution. First, the oxygen-dependent triplet-state quenching of tetramethylrhodamine is validated and then calibrated in an L-ascorbic acid titration experiment demonstrating the linear relation between triplet lifetime and oxygen concentration according to the Stern-Volmer equation. Second, the method is applied to a biological cell system, employing as reporter a cytosolic fusion protein of beta-galactosidase with SNAP-tag labeled with tetramethylrhodamine. Oxygen consumption in single smooth muscle cells A7r5 during an [Arg(8)]-vasopressin-induced contraction is measured. The results indicate a consumption leading to an intracellular oxygen concentration that decays monoexponentially with time. The proposed method has the potential to become a new tool for investigating oxygen metabolism at the single cell and the subcellular level.

Two-photon absorbing nanocrystal sensors for ratiometric detection of oxygen

Two nanocrystal-osmium(II) polypyridyl (NC-Os(II)PP) conjugates have been designed to detect oxygen in biological environments. Polypyridines appended with a single free amine were linked with facility to a carboxylic acid functionality of a semiconductor NC overlayer to afford a biologically stable amide bond. The Os(II)PP complexes possess broad absorptions that extend into the red spectral region; this absorption feature makes them desirable acceptors of energy from NC donors. Fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) from the NC to the Os(II)PP causes an enhanced Os(II)PP emission with a concomitant quenching of the NC emission. Owing to the large two-photon absorption cross-section of the NCs, FRET from the NC to the Os(II)PP can be established under two-photon excitation conditions. In this way, two-photon processes of metal polypyridyl complexes can be exploited for sensing. The emission of the NC is insensitive to oxygen, even at 1 atm, whereas excited states of both osmium complexes are quenched in the presence of oxygen. The NC emission may thus be used as an internal reference to correct for fluctuations in the photoluminescence intensity signal. These properties taken together establish NC-Os(II)PP conjugates as competent ratiometric, two-photon oxygen sensors for application in biological microenvironments.

Oxygen microscopy by two-photon-excited phosphorescence

High-resolution images of oxygen distributions in microheterogeneous samples are obtained by two-photon laser scanning microscopy (2P LSM), using a newly developed dendritic nanoprobe with internally enhanced two-photon absorption (2PA) cross-section. In this probe, energy is harvested by a 2PA antenna, which passes excitation onto a phosphorescent metalloporphyrin via intramolecular energy transfer. The 2P LSM allows sectioning of oxygen gradients with near diffraction-limited resolution, and lifetime-based acquisition eliminates dependence on the local probe concentration. The technique is validated on objects with a priori known oxygen distributions and applied to imaging of pO(2) in cells.