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Published on: January 3, 2018
Exchangeable Self-Assembled Lanthanide Antennas for PLIM Microscopy
Alvaro Ruiz-Arias1, Francisco Fueyo-González2,3, Carolina Izquierdo-García2
1Nanoscopy-UGR Laboratory. Departamento de Fisicoquímica, Unidad de Excelencia de Química Aplicada a Biomedicina y Medioambiente, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad de Granada, Campus Cartuja, 18071, Granada, Spain.
Researchers developed a new lanthanide antenna (PAnt) to reduce photobleaching in photoluminescence lifetime imaging microscopy (PLIM). This innovation enhances quantitative biological imaging by ensuring a continuous supply of intact dyes during long acquisitions.
Area of Science:
- Bioimaging
- Photoluminescence Spectroscopy
- Lanthanide Chemistry
Background:
- Lanthanides exhibit unique photoluminescence (PL) properties, including long lifetimes, making them suitable for biological imaging.
- Photoluminescence lifetime imaging microscopy (PLIM) offers quantitative advantages but is hampered by photobleaching of lanthanide emissions during prolonged imaging.
- Existing lanthanide complexes for bioimaging suffer from photobleaching, limiting their utility in live-cell applications.
Purpose of the Study:
- To design and synthesize a novel, water-soluble lanthanide antenna (PAnt) to mitigate photobleaching in PLIM.
- To investigate the efficacy of PAnt in self-assembled lanthanide complexes for reducing photobleaching during cellulo imaging.
- To establish a new strategy for enhancing quantitative biological imaging using exchangeable lanthanide dyes.
Main Methods:
- Synthesis of 8-methoxy-2-oxo-1,2,4,5-tetrahydrocyclopenta[de]quinoline-3-phosphonic acid (PAnt) as an exchangeable lanthanide antenna.
- Formation of self-assembled lanthanide complexes using PAnt for dynamic interaction with lanthanide ions.
- Evaluation of photobleaching reduction in PLIM microscopy in cellulo compared to established lanthanide cryptates.
Main Results:
- The developed PAnt is a small, aqueous-soluble molecule designed for dynamic interaction with lanthanide ions.
- Self-assembled lanthanide complexes with PAnt demonstrated a significant reduction in photobleaching during PLIM acquisition.
- The PAnt-based system showed superior photobleaching resistance compared to conventional lanthanide cryptates used in bioimaging.
Conclusions:
- Exchangeable lanthanide antennas offer a viable strategy to overcome photobleaching limitations in PLIM.
- The PAnt system provides a continuous replenishment of intact dye, enabling prolonged and quantitative imaging.
- This approach opens new avenues for advanced quantitative photoluminescence lifetime imaging microscopy in biological research.
