Functionalized Fluorescent Organic Nanoparticles Based AIE Enabling Effectively Targeting Cancer Cell Imaging

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Organic Chemistry
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Perylene bisimides (PBI) are known for their optical properties.
• Tetraphenylethylene (TPE) and cholesterol are components that can influence molecular behavior.
• Aggregation-induced emission (AIE) is a phenomenon useful for sensing and imaging.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize a novel fluorescent dye by combining PBI, TPE, and cholesterol.
• To investigate the dye's optical properties, including emission spectrum and AIE characteristics.
• To develop functionalized nanoparticles for targeted cancer cell imaging.

Main Methods:

• Synthesized a PBI derivative incorporating TPE and cholesterol components.
• Characterized the dye's fluorescence emission spectrum and AIE properties.
• Prepared cRGD-functionalized nanoparticles by encapsulating the dye within an amphiphilic polymer matrix.

Main Results:

• The synthesized dye (TM) exhibits stable red emission and aggregation-induced emission (AIE).
• Cholesterol incorporation induced chirality in the dye via supramolecular self-assembly.
• The cRGD-functionalized nanoparticles demonstrated excellent biocompatibility, large Stokes' shift, and good photostability.

Conclusions:

• The novel fluorescent dye and its nanoparticle formulation are effective for targeting cancer cells.
• The developed nanoparticles offer high fluorescence contrast for improved cancer imaging.
• The study highlights the potential of combining PBI, TPE, and cholesterol for advanced biomedical probes.