Real-time tracking mitochondrial dynamic remodeling with two-photon phosphorescent iridium (III) complexes

Area of Science:

• Cell Biology
• Biochemistry
• Materials Science

Background:

• Mitochondrial dynamics, including fission and fusion, are crucial for cellular health and function across species.
• Dysregulation of mitochondrial dynamics is implicated in severe human diseases like Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, metabolic disorders, and cancer.
• Current methods for tracking mitochondrial dynamics are limited by dye photo-stability and excitation wavelengths.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop novel mitochondrial targeting agents for real-time tracking of mitochondrial fission and fusion.
• To address the limitations of existing commercial mitochondrial dyes, particularly their photo-stability and excitation properties.
• To explore the potential of cyclometalated Iridium(III) complexes as advanced imaging probes.

Main Methods:

• Synthesis and characterization of five cyclometalated Iridium(III) complexes (Ir1-Ir5).
• Evaluation of complexes as one- and two-photon phosphorescent probes for mitochondrial imaging.
• Assessment of photo-stability and suitability for real-time tracking of mitochondrial fission and fusion in living cells and C. elegans.

Main Results:

• Cyclometalated Ir(III) complexes demonstrated effective one- and two-photon phosphorescent imaging capabilities.
• Complex Ir2 exhibited superior performance for two-photon phosphorescent tracking of mitochondrial fission and fusion.
• The developed probes showed excellent photo-stability and suitability for live-cell and in vivo imaging.

Conclusions:

• Cyclometalated Ir(III) complexes represent a promising class of probes for real-time mitochondrial dynamics imaging.
• Ir2 is particularly well-suited for advanced two-photon phosphorescent tracking of mitochondrial fission and fusion.
• This study offers a practical application for mitochondrial-targeting two-photon phosphorescent Iridium(III) complexes in biological research.