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Updated: Aug 20, 2025
Author Spotlight: Oxygen-Independent Assays to Measure Mitochondrial Function in Mammals
Published on: May 19, 2023
An esterase-sensitive AIEgen probe targeting mitochondria and lipid droplets for assessing cell viability
Shuo-Hang Wang1, Yue-Wei Zhang1, Xiao-Dong Wang2
1School of Chemistry and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Jilin Institute of Chemical Technology, Jilin 132022, Jilin, China.
Abstract:
In order to conduct in-depth research on the mechanisms of cancer diagnosis and treatment, it is very important to develop fluorescent probes to study the interactions between different organelles and understand the relationship between various organelles and cell viability. However, the lack of fluorescent probes to visualize two or more targets has resulted in limited studies of intracellular interactions between different organelles. To this end, in this work, we developed a near-infrared (NIR) AIE probe with dual-color emission, NAP-Py-E, for mitochondria and lipid droplets imaging. The probe NAP-Py-E consists of lipophilic fraction, pyridine cation structure and esterase hydrolysis site. Interestingly, NAP-Py-E first targets mitochondria and emits red fluorescence; after partially hydrolyed by esterase in living cells, the hydrolysate NAP-Py accumulates in lipid droplets and emits green fluorescence. The probe has been successfully used to assess cell viability due to its dual-color emission and dual-organelle targeted changes.
Insights
Researchers developed a novel near-infrared fluorescent probe, NAP-Py-E, for simultaneous imaging of mitochondria and lipid droplets. This dual-color probe aids in understanding organelle interactions and assessing cell viability in cancer research.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Engineering
- Molecular Imaging
- Cell Biology
Background:
- Studying intracellular organelle interactions is crucial for understanding cancer mechanisms.
- Existing fluorescent probes often lack the ability to visualize multiple organelles simultaneously, limiting research scope.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a novel near-infrared (NIR) aggregation-induced emission (AIE) probe with dual-color emission for simultaneous imaging of mitochondria and lipid droplets.
- To utilize the probe for assessing cell viability by monitoring dual-organelle targeted changes.
Main Methods:
- Synthesis of a novel NIR AIE probe, NAP-Py-E, featuring a lipophilic fraction, pyridine cation structure, and esterase hydrolysis site.
- In vitro and in vivo imaging of mitochondria (red fluorescence) and lipid droplets (green fluorescence) in living cells.
- Assessment of cell viability based on the probe's dual-color emission and organelle targeting.
Main Results:
- The developed probe, NAP-Py-E, successfully targets mitochondria and emits red fluorescence.
- Upon esterase hydrolysis, the probe's metabolite accumulates in lipid droplets, emitting green fluorescence.
- The dual-color emission and dual-organelle targeting capabilities were effectively used to assess cell viability.
Conclusions:
- The NIR AIE probe NAP-Py-E enables simultaneous visualization of mitochondria and lipid droplets.
- This probe is a valuable tool for studying organelle interactions and their relationship with cell viability.
- NAP-Py-E shows potential for applications in cancer diagnosis and treatment research.
