title: Far-Red and Near-IR AIE-Active Fluorescent Organic Nanoprobes with Enhanced Tumor-Targeting Efficacy: Shape-Specific Effects.
abstract: The rational design of high-performance fluorescent materials for cancer targeting in vivo is still challenging. A unique molecular design strategy is presented that involves tailoring aggregation-induced emission (AIE)-active organic molecules to realize preferable far-red and NIR fluorescence, well-controlled morphology (from rod-like to spherical), and also tumor-targeted bioimaging. The shape-tailored organic quinoline-malononitrile (QM) nanoprobes are biocompatible and highly desirable for cell-tracking applications. Impressively, the spherical shape of QM-5 nanoaggregates exhibits excellent tumor-targeted bioimaging performance after intravenously injection into mice, but not the rod-like aggregates of QM-2.
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory for Advanced Materials and Institute of Fine Chemicals, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Functional Materials Chemistry, State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, Collaborative Innovation Center for Coal Based Energy (i-CCE), East China University of Science & Technology, Shanghai 200237 (China).
authors.forename: Andong
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Shao
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory for Advanced Materials and Institute of Fine Chemicals, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Functional Materials Chemistry, State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, Collaborative Innovation Center for Coal Based Energy (i-CCE), East China University of Science & Technology, Shanghai 200237 (China).
authors.forename: Yongshu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Xie
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory for Advanced Materials and Institute of Fine Chemicals, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Functional Materials Chemistry, State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, Collaborative Innovation Center for Coal Based Energy (i-CCE), East China University of Science & Technology, Shanghai 200237 (China).
authors.forename: Shaojia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory for Advanced Materials and Institute of Fine Chemicals, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Functional Materials Chemistry, State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, Collaborative Innovation Center for Coal Based Energy (i-CCE), East China University of Science & Technology, Shanghai 200237 (China). guozq@ecust.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Zhiqian
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory for Advanced Materials and Institute of Fine Chemicals, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Functional Materials Chemistry, State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, Collaborative Innovation Center for Coal Based Energy (i-CCE), East China University of Science & Technology, Shanghai 200237 (China).
authors.forename: Shiqin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: PerkinElmer Instruments (Shanghai) Co. Zhangheng Road 1670 Shanghai 201203 (China).
authors.forename: Jin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory for Advanced Materials and Institute of Fine Chemicals, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Functional Materials Chemistry, State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, Collaborative Innovation Center for Coal Based Energy (i-CCE), East China University of Science & Technology, Shanghai 200237 (China).
authors.forename: Ping
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of Bath, Bath BA2 7AY (UK).
authors.forename: Tony D
authors.initials: TD
authors.lastname: James
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory for Advanced Materials and Institute of Fine Chemicals, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Functional Materials Chemistry, State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, Collaborative Innovation Center for Coal Based Energy (i-CCE), East China University of Science & Technology, Shanghai 200237 (China).
authors.forename: He
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tian
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory for Advanced Materials and Institute of Fine Chemicals, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Functional Materials Chemistry, State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, Collaborative Innovation Center for Coal Based Energy (i-CCE), East China University of Science & Technology, Shanghai 200237 (China). whzhu@ecust.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Wei-Hong
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Zhu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D007259:Infrared Rays; D051379:Mice; D008958:Models, Molecular; D049329:Nanostructures / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*; D009570:Nitriles / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D061848:Optical Imaging; D011804:Quinolines / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D051598:Whole Body Imaging
chemical_list: D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D009570:Nitriles; D011804:Quinolines; C037219:quinoline; C000945:dicyanmethane
keywords: aggregation-induced emission; fluorescent probes; morphology effects; near infrared; tumor targeting