Photoswitchable non-fluorescent thermochromic dye-nanoparticle hybrid probes.
Photoswitchable fluorescent proteins with controllable light-dark states and spectral shifts in emission in response to light have led to breakthroughs in the study of cell biology. Nevertheless, conventional photoswitching is not applicable for weakly fluorescent proteins and requires UV light with low depth penetration in bio-tissue. Here we introduce a novel concept of photoswitchable hybrid probes consisting of thermochromic dye and absorbing nanoparticles, in which temperature-sensitive light-dark states and spectral shifts in absorption can be switched through controllable photothermal heating of doped nanoparticles. The proof-of-concept is demonstrated through the use of two different types of temperature-sensitive dyes doped with magnetic nanoparticles and reversibly photoswitched by a near-infrared laser. Photoacoustic imaging revealed the high contrast of these probes, which is sufficient for their visualization in cells and deep tissue. Our results suggest that these new photoswitchable multicolour probes can be used for multimodal cellular diagnostics and potentially for magnetic and photothermal therapy.
Arkansas Nanomedicine Center, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR.
Walter N
WN
Harrington
Center for Integrative Nanotechnology Sciences, University of Arkansas at Little Rock, Little Rock AR.
Mwafaq R
MR
Haji
Arkansas Nanomedicine Center, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR.
Ekaterina I
EI
Galanzha
Arkansas Nanomedicine Center, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR.
Dmitry A
DA
Nedosekin
Center for Integrative Nanotechnology Sciences, University of Arkansas at Little Rock, Little Rock AR.
Zeid A
ZA
Nima
Center for Integrative Nanotechnology Sciences, University of Arkansas at Little Rock, Little Rock AR.
Fumiya
F
Watanabe
Chemistry Department, University of Arkansas at Little Rock, Little Rock AR.
Anindya
A
Ghosh
Center for Integrative Nanotechnology Sciences, University of Arkansas at Little Rock, Little Rock AR.
Alexandru S
AS
Biris
Arkansas Nanomedicine Center, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR.
Vladimir P
VP
Zharov
D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D003116:Color; D006801:Humans; D007259:Infrared Rays; D058185:Magnetite Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry*; D008853:Microscopy; D015335:Molecular Probes / Q000737:chemistry*; D061088:Photoacoustic Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D013053:Spectrophotometry; D013696:Temperature
D058185:Magnetite Nanoparticles; D015335:Molecular Probes