Deep imaging for visualizing nitric oxide in lipid droplets: discovering the relationship between nitric oxide and...

Area of Science:

• Chemical Biology
• Biomedical Imaging
• Cancer Research

Background:

• Nitric oxide (NO) plays a complex role in cellular processes, including cancer.
• Lipid droplets are increasingly recognized as key players in cancer progression and drug resistance.
• Selective detection of NO within specific cellular compartments like lipid droplets is challenging.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a novel near-infrared two-photon fluorescent probe for selective NO detection.
• To visualize and quantify NO levels within lipid droplets in live cells.
• To investigate the correlation between NO production in lipid droplets and resistance to anti-tumor drugs.

Main Methods:

• Synthesis of a novel near-infrared two-photon fluorescent probe, termed TAN.
• Application of the TAN probe for selective detection and deep-depth imaging of NO in lipid droplets.
• Evaluation of the impact of NO inhibition on the efficacy of chemotherapeutic agents in cancer cells.

Main Results:

• The TAN probe demonstrated high selectivity and sensitivity for NO detection in lipid droplets.
• Deep-depth imaging revealed significant NO production within lipid droplets of drug-resistant cancer cells.
• Inhibition of NO production in lipid droplets significantly enhanced the sensitivity of cancer cells to chemotherapeutic agents.

Conclusions:

• NO production within lipid droplets is closely associated with acquired resistance to anti-tumor drugs.
• Targeting NO in lipid droplets presents a potential therapeutic strategy to overcome chemoresistance.
• The developed TAN probe is a valuable tool for studying NO-related biological processes in deep cellular compartments.