In Vitro Light‐Up Visualization of a Subunit‐Specific Enzyme by an AIE Probe via Restriction of Single Molecular Motion

Abstract

Enzymes contain several subunits to maintain different biological functions. However, it remains a great challenge for specific discrimination of one subunit over another. Toward this end, the fluorescent probe TPEMA is now presented for highly specific detection of the B subunit of cytosolic creatine (CK) kinase isoenzyme (CK‐B). Owing to its aggregation‐induced emission property, TPEMA shows highly boosted emission toward CK‐B with a fast response time and very low interference from other analytes, including the M subunit of CK (CK‐M). With the aid of a Job plot assay, ITC assay and molecular dynamics simulation, it was directly confirmed that the remarkably enhanced fluorescence of TPEMA in the presence of CK‐B results from the restriction of single molecular motion in the cavity. Selective wash‐free fluorescence imaging of CK‐B in macrophages under different treatments was successfully demonstrated.

Simultaneous Two-Color Visualization of Lipid Droplets and Endoplasmic Reticulum and Their Interplay by Single Fluorescent Probes in Lambda Mode

“…Fluorescent probes have become powerful tools for versatile biomedical imaging in live cells, due to their unique advantages of excellent spatial resolution, remarkable sensitivity, high selectivity, noninvasiveness, and in situ property. − Recently, some impressive works have been achieved for LD − or ER − imaging by multiple fluorescent probes. However, to the best of our knowledge, only a few probes have been developed for simultaneous LD and ER imaging with one emission color, , inevitably leading to many difficulties in the simultaneous and discriminative visualization and analysis of LDs and the ER and their interaction.…”

AIEgens for dual second harmonic generation and fluorescence “turn-on” imaging of membrane and photodynamic therapy in cancer cells

“…It also enlarges the torsion angle between the donor and the acceptor, realizing a strong fluorescence quenching in solution for their fluorescence “turn-on” properties on lipid membranes. 14,16,45,46 At the same time, a well-separated electron redistribution caused by the intensive ICT effect facilitates efficient photosensitization capacity, allowing efficient reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation in the photodynamic therapy (PDT). 47…”

“…It also enlarges the torsion angle between the donor and the acceptor, realizing a strong fluorescence quenching in solution for their fluorescence ''turn-on'' properties on lipid membranes. 14,16,45,46 At the same time, a well-separated electron redistribution caused by the intensive ICT effect facilitates efficient photosensitization capacity, allowing efficient reactive This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry and the Chinese Chemical Society 2023 oxygen species (ROS) generation in the photodynamic therapy (PDT). 47 To alter the EAPVs anchoring capacity on the cell membrane, their hydrophilic and lipophilic properties were adjusted by changing the alkyl chain length.…”

“…To overcome some of these defects, Prof Tang's group and other groups have developed photostable, lipophilic, and wash-free AIE dyes to achieve fast membrane staining for real-time fluorescence imaging and photodynamic therapy on cancer cells. 12,[15][16][17][18] These AIE dyes for membrane imaging generally work under the rotation restriction mechanism with their motors freely rotating in an aqueous medium with a non-radiative decay pathway to consume excitation energy. [19][20][21][22] Once the dyes are anchored on cell membranes, their motor rotation is physically restricted to suppress the nonradiative decay pathway, thus the radiative decay pathway with bright fluorescence emission is turned on.…”

Recent Developments in Fluorescent Materials for Heavy Metal Ions Analysis From the Perspective of Forensic Chemistry

“…There are a wide array of instrumental methods allowing identification and determination of various metal elements in different evidences, such as atomic absorption spectroscopy, neutron activation analysis, X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy, ion chromatography, mass spectroscopy, and other spectroscopy coupled with mass spectroscopy (Ulrich et al, 2004 ; Verma, 2018 ; Sliwińska et al, 2019 ). Compared with these traditional analytical methods, fluorescence spectroscopy is more suitable for trace metal ions analysis in complex matrices because of its short response time, simplicity, high selectivity, and sensitivity (Fu et al, 2019 ; Zhang et al, 2019 ; Niu et al, 2020 ; Zang et al, 2020 ).…”