Multicolored, Sonosensitizer-Optimized Organic Mechanoluminescent Nanoparticles for Functional Sono-Optogenetics

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Optics
• Materials Science
• Neuroscience

Background:

• Light-based cellular control is limited in deep tissues due to poor optical penetration.
• Ultrasound-triggered mechanoluminescence offers noninvasive light delivery but faces challenges with monochromatic and low-intensity emission.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a multicolor mechanoluminescence platform for efficient light delivery in deep tissues.
• To establish a predictive design principle for high-performance mechanoluminescent materials.
• To demonstrate in vitro neuromodulation using the developed platform.

Main Methods:

• Coupling reactive oxygen species-responsive chemiluminescent donors with fluorescent acceptors via Förster resonance energy transfer.
• Generating tunable emission from blue (461 nm) to red (592 nm).
• Systematic screening to identify electronic energy gap-dependent reactive oxygen species generation as a design principle.

Main Results:

• A multicolor mechanoluminescence platform with tunable emission (461-592 nm) was successfully developed.
• The platform demonstrated sufficient light intensity and spectrum to activate neuromodulatory proteins (ChR2, eOPN3, ChRmine).
• In vitro neuromodulation was achieved under focused ultrasound, validating the noninvasive strategy.

Conclusions:

• The developed platform enables noninvasive, deep-tissue neuromodulation through ultrasound-triggered, programmable light delivery.
• This technology provides a foundation for applications in bioimaging, gene editing, and precision therapeutics.
• The study establishes a predictive design principle for high-performance mechanoluminescent materials.