RGD-conjugated two-photon absorbing near-IR emitting fluorescent probes for tumor vasculature imaging.
Observation of the activation and inhibition of angiogenesis processes is important in the progression of cancer. Application of targeting peptides, such as a small peptide that contains adjacent L-arginine (R), glycine (G) and L-aspartic acid (D) residues can afford high selectivity and deep penetration in vessel imaging. To facilitate deep tissue vasculature imaging, probes that can be excited via two-photon absorption (2PA) in the near-infrared (NIR) and subsequently emit in the NIR are essential. In this study, the enhancement of tissue image quality with RGD conjugates was investigated with new NIR-emitting pyranyl fluorophore derivatives in two-photon fluorescence microscopy. Linear and nonlinear photophysical properties of the new probes were comprehensively characterized; significantly the probes exhibited good 2PA over a broad spectral range from 700-1100 nm. Cell and tissue images were then acquired and examined, revealing deep penetration and high contrast with the new pyranyl RGD-conjugates up to 350 μm in tumor tissue.
Department of Chemistry, University of Central Florida, P.O. Box 162366, Orlando, FL 32816, USA.
Xiling
X
Yue
Institute of Chemical Sciences and Engineering, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland.
Alma R
AR
Morales
Department of Chemistry, University of Central Florida, P.O. Box 162366, Orlando, FL 32816, USA.
Grace W
GW
Githaiga
Department of Chemistry, University of Central Florida, P.O. Box 162366, Orlando, FL 32816, USA.
Adam W
AW
Woodward
Department of Chemistry, University of Central Florida, P.O. Box 162366, Orlando, FL 32816, USA.
Simon
S
Tang
Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute at Lake Nona, Orlando, FL 32827, USA.
Junko
J
Sawada
Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute at Lake Nona, Orlando, FL 32827, USA.
Masanobu
M
Komatsu
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, New Jersey Institute of Technology, University Heights, Newark, NJ 07102, USA.
Xuan
X
Liu
College of Science and Liberal Arts, New Jersey Institute of Technology, University Heights, Newark, NJ 07102, USA. belfield@njit.edu.
Kevin D
KD
Belfield
D000818:Animals; D018827:Carcinoma, Lewis Lung / Q000098:blood supply / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007259:Infrared Rays; D016023:Integrins / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D036641:Microscopy, Fluorescence, Multiphoton; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism; D009842:Oligopeptides / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D061848:Optical Imaging; D017785:Photons
D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D016023:Integrins; D009842:Oligopeptides; C047981:arginyl-glycyl-aspartic acid