Intriguing "chameleon" fluorescent bioprobes for the visualization of lipid droplet-lysosome interplay

Rong Hu; Bin Chen; Zhiming Wang; Anjun Qin; Zujin Zhao; Xiaoding Lou; Ben Zhong Tang

doi:10.1016/j.biomaterials.2019.03.002

Intriguing "chameleon" fluorescent bioprobes for the visualization of lipid droplet-lysosome interplay

Biomaterials. 2019 May:203:43-51. doi: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2019.03.002. Epub 2019 Mar 2.

Authors

Rong Hu¹, Bin Chen¹, Zhiming Wang¹, Anjun Qin¹, Zujin Zhao², Xiaoding Lou³, Ben Zhong Tang⁴

Affiliations

¹ State Key Laboratory of Luminescent Materials and Devices, Center for Aggregation-Induced Emission, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510640, China.
² State Key Laboratory of Luminescent Materials and Devices, Center for Aggregation-Induced Emission, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510640, China. Electronic address: mszjzhao@scut.edu.cn.
³ Engineering Research Center of Nano-Geomaterials of Ministry of Education, Faculty of Materials Science and Chemistry, China University of Geosciences, 388 Lumo Road, Wuhan, 430074, China. Electronic address: louxiaoding@cug.edu.cn.
⁴ State Key Laboratory of Luminescent Materials and Devices, Center for Aggregation-Induced Emission, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510640, China; Department of Chemistry, Hong Kong Branch of Chinese National Engineering Research Center for Tissue Restoration and Reconstruction, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China. Electronic address: tangbenz@ust.hk.

PMID: 30852422
DOI: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2019.03.002

Abstract

The interplay of lipid droplets (LDs) and lysosome plays an important role in cell metabolism, and the visualization of this process can provide useful information of organelle communication and function. However, fluorescent bioprobes based on organic fluorophores that can respond to LD-lysosome interplay are much rare. Herein, fluorescent bioprobes with high photostability, excellent biocompatibility and intracellular polarity sensitivity are achieved by encapsulating a new red fluorogenic molecule TPA-BTTDO within polymeric matrix (DSPE-PEG₂₀₀₀). They can sequentially localize in lysosome and LDs with red and cyan emissions, respectively. By monitoring the emission color change, the interesting dynamic processes of the probes escaping from lysosome and then enriching in LDs, and finally returning to lysosome after LDs consumption are visualized. In addition, the tracing of dynamic movement and consumption of LDs is realized by the probes with a high signal-to-noise ratio. The unique labeling behaviors and distinguished dual emissions of the probes in LDs and lysosome make them promising agents for fluorescence visualization studies of LD-lysosome related bioprocess and metabolism diseases.

Keywords: Aggregation-induced emission; Fluorescent bioprobe; Lipid droplet; Lysosome; Nanomaterials.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Cell Survival / genetics
Cell Survival / physiology
Endocytosis / genetics
Endocytosis / physiology
HeLa Cells
Humans
Lipid Droplets / chemistry*
Lysosomes / chemistry*
Nanostructures / chemistry*