Mechanistic study of IR-780 dye as a potential tumor targeting and drug delivery agent

IR-780 iodide, a near-infrared fluorescent heptamethine dye, has been recently characterized to exhibit preferential accumulation property in the mitochondria of tumor cells. In this study, we investigated the possible mechanisms for its tumor selective activity and its potential as a drug delivery carrier. Results showed that the energy-dependent uptake of IR-780 iodide into the mitochondria of tumor cells was affected by glycolysis and plasma membrane potential. Moreover, OATP1B3 subtype of organic anion transporter peptides (OATPs) may play a dominant role in the transportation of IR-780 iodide into tumor cells, while cellular endocytosis, mitochondrial membrane potential and the ATP-binding cassette transporters did not show significant influence to its accumulation. We further evaluated the potential of IR-780 iodide as a drug delivery carrier by covalent conjugation of IR-780 with nitrogen mustard (IR-780NM). In vivo imaging showed that IR-780NM remained the tumor targeting property, indicating that IR-780 iodide could be potentially applied as a drug delivery agent for cancer targeted imaging and therapy.