title: In vivo targeting of cell death using a synthetic fluorescent molecular probe.
abstract: A synthetic, near-infrared, fluorescent probe, named PSS-794 was assessed for its ability to detect cell death in two animal models. The molecular probe contains a zinc(II)-dipicolylamine (Zn(2+)-DPA) affinity ligand that selectively targets exposed phosphatidylserine on the surface of dead and dying cells. The first animal model used rats that were treated with dexamethasone to induce thymic atrophy. Ex vivo fluorescence imaging and histological analysis of excised organs showed thymus uptake of PSS-794 was four times higher than a control fluorophore that lacked the Zn(2+)-DPA affinity ligand. In addition, the presence of PSS-794 produced a delayed and higher build up of dead and dying cells in the rat thymus. The second animal model employed focal beam radiation to induce cell death in tumor-bearing rats. Whole-body and ex vivo imaging showed that the amount of PSS-794 in a radiation-treated tumor was almost twice that in a non-treated tumor. The results indicate that PSS-794 may be useful for preclinical optical detection of tumor cell death due to therapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA.
authors.forename: Bryan A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: Shuzhang
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Xiao
authors.forename: William
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Wolter
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wheeler
authors.forename: Mark A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Suckow
authors.forename: Bradley D
authors.initials: BD
authors.lastname: Smith
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D053148:Caspase 3 / Q000378:metabolism; D016923:Cell Death; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D015336:Molecular Probe Techniques; D015335:Molecular Probes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D011827:Radiation; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000166:cytology / Q000201:enzymology; D014018:Tissue Distribution
chemical_list: D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D015335:Molecular Probes; D053148:Caspase 3