Doxorubicin-Sensitized Luminescence of NIR-Emitting Ytterbium Liposomes: Towards Direct Monitoring of Drug Release

Drug-loaded liposomes are typical examples of nanomedicines. We show here that doxorubicin, the anti-cancer agent in the liposomal drug Doxil, can sensitize Ytterbium (Yb³⁺ ) and generate its near-infrared (NIR) emission. When doxorubicin and amphiphilic Yb³⁺ chelates are incorporated into liposomes, the sensitized emission of Yb³⁺ is dependent on the integrity of the particles, which can be used to monitor drug release. We also established the first demonstration that the NIR Yb³⁺ emission signal is observable in living mice following intratumoral injection of the Yb³⁺ -doxorubicin-liposomes, using a commercial macroscopic setup equipped with a NIR camera.

Functional imaging of a model unicell: Spironucleus vortens as an anaerobic but aerotolerant flagellated protist

Advances in optical microscopy are continually narrowing the chasm in our appreciation of biological organization between the molecular and cellular levels, but many practical problems are still limiting. Observation is always limited by the rapid dynamics of ultrastructural modifications of intracellular components, and often by cell motility: imaging of the unicellular protist parasite of ornamental fish, Spironucleus vortens, has proved challenging. Autofluorescence of nicotinamide nucleotides and flavins in the 400-580 nm region of the visible spectrum, is the most useful indicator of cellular redox state and hence vitality. Fluorophores emitting in the red or near-infrared (i.e., phosphors) are less damaging and more penetrative than many routinely employed fluors. Mountants containing free radical scavengers minimize fluorophore photobleaching. Two-photon excitation provides a small focal spot, increased penetration, minimizes photon scattering and enables extended observations. Use of quantum dots clarifies the competition between endosomal uptake and exosomal extrusion. Rapid motility (161 μm/s) of the organism makes high resolution of ultrastructure difficult even at high scan speeds. Use of voltage-sensitive dyes determining transmembrane potentials of plasma membrane and hydrogenosomes (modified mitochondria) is also hindered by intracellular motion and controlled anesthesia perturbs membrane organization. Specificity of luminophore binding is always questionable; e.g. cationic lipophilic species widely used to measure membrane potentials also enter membrane-bounded neutral lipid droplet-filled organelles. This appears to be the case in S. vortens, where Coherent Anti-Stokes Raman Scattering (CARS) micro-spectroscopy unequivocally images the latter and simultaneous provides spectral identification at 2840 cm^-1. Secondary Harmonic Generation highlights the highly ordered structure of the flagella.

Dinuclear Lanthanide(III)-m-ODO2A-dimer Macrocyclic Complexes: Solution Speciation, DFT Calculations, Luminescence Properties, and Promoted Nitrophenyl-Phosphate Hydrolysis Rates

Potentiometric speciation studies, mass spectrometry, and DFT calculations helped to predict the various structural possibilities of the dinuclear trivalent lanthanide ion (Ln^III , Ln=La, Eu, Tb, Yb, Y) complexes of a novel macrocyclic ligand, m-ODO2A-dimer (H₄ L), to correlate with their luminescence properties and the promoted BNPP and HPNP phosphodiester bond hydrolysis reaction rates. The stability constants of the dinuclear Ln₂ (m-ODO2A-dimer) complexes and various hydrolytic species confirmed by mass spectrometry were determined. DFT calculations revealed that the Y₂ LH_-1 and the Y₂ LH_-2 species tended to form structures with the respective closed- and open-form conformations. Luminescence lifetime data for the heterodimetallic TbEuL system confirmed the fluorescence resonance energy transfer from the Tb^III to Eu^III ion. The internuclear distance R_TbEu values were estimated to be in the range of 9.4-11.3 Å (pH 6.7-10.6), which were comparable to those of the DFT calculated open-form conformations. Multiple linear regression analysis of the k_obs data was performed using the equation: k_obs,corr. =k_obs -k_obs,OH =kLn2LHM->1 [Ln₂ LH_-1 ]+kLn2LH-2 [Ln₂ LH_-2 ] for the observed Ln₂ L-promoted BNPP/HPNP hydrolysis reactions in solution pH from 7 to 10.5 (Ln=Eu, Yb). The results showed that the second-order rate constants for the Eu₂ LH_-2 and Yb₂ LH_-2 species were about 50-400 times more reactive than the structural analogous Zn₂ (m-12 N₃ O-dimer) system.

Enhancement of near-infrared luminescence of ytterbium in triple-stranded binuclear helicates

A bis-β-diketone, bis(4,4,4-trifluoro-1,3-dioxobutyl)(2,2'-bithienyl) (BTT), which can be looked upon as coupling of two mono-β-diketones (2-thenoyltrifluoroacetone, TTA) at the 5,5'-position of thiophene ring, has been designed for exploring the advantages of binuclear helical structure in sensitizing the lanthanide NIR luminescence. The Yb(iii) ion was selected as the luminescent center, and its corresponding mono-β-diketone complex Yb(TTA)3(DMSO) () and bis-β-diketone complex Yb2(BTT)3(DMSO)4 () were synthesized and isolated. X-ray crystallographical analysis reveals that the bis-β-diketone complex Yb2(BTT)3(DMSO)4 adopts a triple-stranded dinuclear structure, in which the two Yb(iii) ions are helically wrapped by three ligands, and each Yb(iii) ion is eight-coordinated by six oxygen atoms from three ligands and two oxygen atoms from the coordinated DMSO molecules. Whereas, the mono-β-diketone complex Yb(TTA)3(DMSO) is a mononuclear structure, the central Yb(iii) ion is coordinated by seven oxygen atoms from three ligands and a DMSO molecule. The photophysical properties related to the electronic transition are characterized by the absorbance spectra, the emission spectra, the emission quantum yields, the emission lifetimes, and the radiative (kr) and nonradiative rate constants (knr). The luminescence quantum yield experiment reveals that the dinuclear complex has about 10 times luminescence enhancement compared with the mononuclear complex. This enhancement mainly benefits from its helical structure, which effectively depresses the nonradiative transition caused by high-energy oscillators in ligands, and the part-encapsulated structure decreases the probability of solvents entering the metal centers.

Insight into the roles of structures and energy levels of mono- and bis-β-diketones on sensitizing Nd(iii) NIR-luminescence

Three neodymium complexes Nd(TTA)3(DMSO)2 (1, TTA = 2-thenoyltrifluoroacetone), Nd2(BDT)3(DMSO)6 (2, BDT = bis(4,4,4-trifluoro-1,3-dioxobutyl)thiophene) and Nd2(BTT)3(DMSO)4 (3, BTT = bis(4,4,4-trifluoro-1,3-dioxobutyl)(2,2'-bithiophene)) constructed from three thiophene-based β-diketonate ligands, were prepared for the purpose of building the relationships between the structures, energy levels of the complexes and NIR luminescence properties of Nd(iii) ions. X-ray crystallographical analysis reveals that complex 1 is a mononuclear structure, the central Nd(iii) ion is coordinated by eight oxygen atoms from three mono-β-diketones (TTA) and two DMSO, whereas, complexes 2 and 3 adopt triple-stranded dinuclear structures, in which the two Nd(iii) ions are wrapped by three bis-β-diketones, the central Nd(iii) ions are nine and eight coordinated by oxygen atoms from ligands and the coordinated DMSO molecules. The photophysical properties related to the electronic transition are characterized by the absorbance spectra, the excitation spectra, the phosphorescence spectra, the emission spectra, the emission quantum yields, and the emission lifetimes. The luminescence quantum yields experiment reveals that the dinuclear complexes (0.49% and 0.33% for 2 and 3) show higher luminescence efficiencies compared to the mononuclear complex 1 (0.22%). This enhancement is mainly attributed to their binuclear structures, which effectively represses the nonradiative transition caused by high-energy oscillators in ligands and/or solvents. On the other hand, the energy level matching also plays an important role in this enhancement.

Near-IR luminescent lanthanide complexes with 1,8-diaminoanthraquinone-based chromophoric ligands

1,8-Anthraquinone derivatives can act as low energy, visible light sensitizers for near-IR emitting lanthanides.

Studies for development of novel quinazolinones: new biomarker for EGFR

The binding capabilities of a series of novel quinazolinone molecules were established and stated in a comprehensive computational methodology as well as by in vitro analysis. The main focus of this work was to achieve more insight of the interactions with crystal structure of PDB ID: 1M17 and predict their binding mode to EGFR. Three molecules were screened for further examination, which were synthesized and characterized using spectroscopic techniques. The persuasive affinity of these molecules towards EGFR inhibition (IC50 for QT=45nM) was established and validated from specific kinase assay including the cell viability spectrophotometric assay (QT=12nM). Drug likeliness property were also considered by analysing, the ADME of these molecules by using scintigraphic techniques. The result showed antitumour activity of QT (4.17 tumour/muscle at 4h). Further photo physical properties were also analysed to see in vitro HSA binding to QT.

Synthesis of chlorin-sensitized near infrared-emitting lanthanide complexes

Lanthanide (Yb(3+), Nd(3+)) complexes equipped with red-absorbing hydroporphyrin (chlorin) antennae were synthesized and characterized. The syntheses are scalable, highly modular, and enable the introduction of different chlorins functionalized with a single reactive group (COOH or NH(2)). Absorption maxima were dependent on chlorin substitution pattern (monomeso aryl or dimeso aryl) and metalation state (free base or zinc chelate). The complexes benefit from dual chlorin (610-639 nm) and lanthanide (980 or 1065 nm for Yb- or Nd-complexes, respectively) emission in the biologically relevant red and near IR region of the spectrum.

Time resolved spectroscopy of inorganic complexes

Time resolved spectroscopy has revolutionised our understanding of photochemical and photophysical reactions of inorganic complexes. In this review, we briefly describe the most common time resolved optical spectroscopic methods applied to inorganic complexes and outline some examples and highlights from the recent literature. The review is not intended to be exhaustive, but highlights key recent papers from coordination chemistry, supramolecular chemistry, carbonyl chemistry and bioinorganic chemistry, as well as, recent insights from ultrafast spectroscopy into the photophysics of important prototypes such as [Ru(bpy)3]2+ and [Cu(dmp)2]+. A brief perspective is then presented which discusses areas where time resolved spectroscopy of inorganic complexes could play a particularly important role in the next few years.