title: Probe Intracellular Trafficking of a Polymeric DNA Delivery Vehicle by Functionalization with an Aggregation-Induced Emissive Tetraphenylethene Derivative.
abstract: Characteristic aggregation-induced quenching of π-fluorophores imposed substantial hindrance to their utilization in nanomedicine for insight into microscopic intracellular trafficking of therapeutic payload. To address this obstacle, we attempted to introduce a novel aggregation-induced emission (AIE) fluorophore into the cationic polymer, which was further used for formulation of a gene delivery carrier. Note that the selective restriction of the intramolecular rotation of the AIE fluorophore through its covalent bond to the polymer conduced to immense AIE. Furthermore, DNA payload labeled with the appropriate fluorophore as the Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) acceptor verified a facile strategy to trace intracellular DNA releasing activity relying on the distance limitation requested by FRET (AIE fluorophore as FRET donor). Moreover, the hydrophobic nature of the AIE fluorophore appeared to promote colloidal stability of the constructed formulation. Together with other chemistry functionalization strategies (including endosome escape), the ultimate formulation exerted dramatic gene transfection efficiency. Hence, this report manifested a first nanomedicine platform combining AIE and FRET for microscopic insight into DNA intracellular trafficking activity.
authors.affiliation: School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Organic Solar Cells and Photochemical Conversion, Tianjin University of Technology , 300384 Tianjin, China.
authors.forename: Xiongqi
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Han
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology , Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States.
authors.forename: Qixian
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Organic Solar Cells and Photochemical Conversion, Tianjin University of Technology , 300384 Tianjin, China.
authors.forename: Hongguang
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.affiliation: School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Organic Solar Cells and Photochemical Conversion, Tianjin University of Technology , 300384 Tianjin, China.
authors.forename: Jianbiao
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.affiliation: School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Organic Solar Cells and Photochemical Conversion, Tianjin University of Technology , 300384 Tianjin, China.
authors.forename: Hui
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Gao
mesh_terms: D004247:DNA / Q000737:chemistry*; D031541:Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes / Q000737:chemistry*; D011108:Polymers / Q000737:chemistry; D014162:Transfection / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D011108:Polymers; D004247:DNA
keywords: FRET; aggregation-induced emission (AIE); gene transfection; poly(glycerol methacrylate) (PGMA); tetraphenylethene (TPE); two-photon excitation