AIEgen-based nanoprobe for the ATP sensing and imaging in cancer cells and embryonic stem cells

Na Hee Kim; Byeong Wook Kim; Heechang Moon; Hajung Yoo; Rae Hyung Kang; Junho K Hur; Yohan Oh; B Moon Kim; Dokyoung Kim

doi:10.1016/j.aca.2021.338269

AIEgen-based nanoprobe for the ATP sensing and imaging in cancer cells and embryonic stem cells

Anal Chim Acta. 2021 Apr 1:1152:338269. doi: 10.1016/j.aca.2021.338269. Epub 2021 Feb 2.

Authors

Na Hee Kim¹, Byeong Wook Kim², Heechang Moon³, Hajung Yoo³, Rae Hyung Kang¹, Junho K Hur⁴, Yohan Oh⁵, B Moon Kim⁶, Dokyoung Kim⁷

Affiliations

¹ Department of Biomedical Science, Graduate School, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, 02447, Republic of Korea.
² Department of Chemistry, College of Natural Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea.
³ Department of Biomedical Science, Graduate School of Biomedical Science and Engineering, Hanyang University, Seoul, 04763, Republic of Korea.
⁴ Department of Biomedical Science, Graduate School of Biomedical Science and Engineering, Hanyang University, Seoul, 04763, Republic of Korea; Department of Genetics, College of Medicine, Hanyang University, Seoul, 04763, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: juhur@hanyang.ac.kr.
⁵ Department of Biomedical Science, Graduate School of Biomedical Science and Engineering, Hanyang University, Seoul, 04763, Republic of Korea; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Medicine, Hanyang University, Seoul, 04763, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: yoh@hanyang.ac.kr.
⁶ Department of Chemistry, College of Natural Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: kimbm@snu.ac.kr.
⁷ Department of Biomedical Science, Graduate School, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, 02447, Republic of Korea; Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, College of Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, 02447, Republic of Korea; Center for Converging Humanities, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, 02447, Republic of Korea; Medical Research Center for Bioreaction to Reactive Oxygen Species and Biomedical Science Institute, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, 02447, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: dkim@khu.ac.kr.

PMID: 33648642
DOI: 10.1016/j.aca.2021.338269

Abstract

A turn-on fluorescent nanoprobe (named AAP-1), based on an aggregation-induced emission luminogen (AIEgen), is disclosed for the detection of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), which is an essential element in the biological system. Organic fluorophore (named TPE-TA) consists of tetraphenylethylene (TPE, sensing and signaling moiety) and mono-triamine (TA, sensing moiety), and it forms an aggregated form in aqueous media as a nanoprobe AAP-1. The nanoprobe AAP-1 has multiple electrostatic interactions as well as hydrophobic interactions with ATP, and it displays superior selectivity toward ATP, reliable sensitivity, with a detection limit around 0.275 ppb, and fast responsive (signal within 10 s). Such a fluorescent probe to monitor ATP has been actively pursued throughout fundamental and translational research areas. In vitro assay and a successful cellular ATP imaging application was demonstrated in cancer cells and embryonic stem cells. We expect that our work warrants further ATP-related studies throughout a variety of fields.

Keywords: Adenosine triphosphate (ATP); Aggregation-induced emission (AIE); Cellular imaging; Fluorescent probes; Nanoprobe.

MeSH terms

Adenosine Triphosphate*
Embryonic Stem Cells
Fluorescent Dyes
Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions
Neoplasms*
Static Electricity

Substances

Fluorescent Dyes
Adenosine Triphosphate