Herein,
we have designed and synthesized unsymmetrical visible
Cy–3 and near-infrared (NIR) Cy–5 chromophores anchoring
mitochondria targeting functional group conjugated with a Phe-Phe
dipeptide by a microwave-assisted Fmoc solid phase peptide synthesis
method on Wang resin. These dipeptide-based Cy–3-TPP/FF as
well as Cy–5-TPP/FF molecules self-assemble to form fluorescent
nanotubes in solution, and it has been confirmed by TEM, SEM, and
AFM. The Cy–3-TPP/FF and Cy–5-TPP/FF molecules in solution
exhibit narrow excitation as well as emission bands in the visible
and NIR region, respectively. These lipophilic cationic fluorescent
peptide molecules spontaneously and selectively accumulate inside
the mitochondria of human carcinoma cells that have been experimentally
validated by live cell confocal laser scanning microscopy and display
a high Pearson’s correlation coefficient in a colocalization
assay. Live cell multicolor confocal imaging using the NIR Cy–5-TPP/FF
in combination with other organelle specific dye is also accomplished.
Moreover, these lipophilic dipeptide-based cationic molecules reach
the critical aggregation concentration inside the mitochondria because
of the extremely negative inner mitochondrial membrane potential [(ΔΨm)cancer ≈ −220 mV] and form supramolecular
nanotubes which are accountable for malignant mitochondria targeted
early apoptosis. The early apoptosis is arrested using Cy–5-TPP/FF
and confirmed by annexin V-FITC/PI apoptosis detection assay.