title: Tumor cell membrane-targeting pH-dependent electron donor-acceptor fluorescence systems with low background signals.
abstract: Minimizing the background signal is crucial for developing tumor-imaging techniques with sufficient specificity and sensitivity. Here we use pH difference between healthy tissues and tumor and tumor targeting delivery to achieve this goal. We synthesize fluorophore-dopamine conjugate as pH-dependent electron donor-acceptor fluorescence system. Fluorophores are highly sensitive to electron-transfer processes, which can alter their optical properties. The intrinsic redox properties of dopamine are oxidation of hydroquinone to quinone at basic pH and reduction of quinone to hydroquinone at acidic pH. Quinone can accept electron then quench fluorescence. We design tumor cell membrane-targeting carrier for delivery. We demonstrate quenched fluorophore-quinone can be specially transferred to tumor extracellular environment and tumor-accumulated fluorophore can be activated by acidic pH. These tumor-targeting pH-dependent electron donor-acceptor fluorescence systems may offer new opportunity for developing tumor-imaging techniques.
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Molecular Engineering of Polymers of Ministry of Education, Fudan University, Shanghai 201203, China; Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, Shanghai 201203, China.
authors.forename: Liang
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Han
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, Shanghai 201203, China.
authors.forename: Mingming
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, Shanghai 201203, China.
authors.forename: Deyong
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ye
authors.affiliation: In Vivo Imaging R&D, Caliper Life Sciences, A Perkin Elmer Company, Alameda, CA 94501, USA.
authors.forename: Ning
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: In Vivo Imaging R&D, Caliper Life Sciences, A Perkin Elmer Company, Alameda, CA 94501, USA.
authors.forename: Ed
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Lim
authors.affiliation: In Vivo Imaging R&D, Caliper Life Sciences, A Perkin Elmer Company, Alameda, CA 94501, USA.
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Molecular Engineering of Polymers of Ministry of Education, Fudan University, Shanghai 201203, China; Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, Shanghai 201203, China. Electronic address: jiangchen@shmu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Chen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Jiang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000378:metabolism*; D003952:Diagnostic Imaging; D004298:Dopamine / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000378:metabolism; D004583:Electrons; D005110:Extracellular Space / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D005453:Fluorescence; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000378:metabolism; D005910:Glioma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D015674:Mammary Neoplasms, Animal / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology; D051379:Mice; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*
chemical_list: D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D004298:Dopamine
keywords: Dopamine; Electron donor-acceptor; Fluorescence system; Tumor cell membrane targeting delivery; pH-dependent