Rundong Yu, Junwei Zhang, Xiaohong Peng* and Zhixing Chen*,
{"title":"Bright Zinc Probes with Thiomorpholine Monoxide Auxochromes for Imaging Insulin Secretion","authors":"Rundong Yu, Junwei Zhang, Xiaohong Peng* and Zhixing Chen*, ","doi":"10.1021/cbmi.4c00116","DOIUrl":"10.1021/cbmi.4c00116","url":null,"abstract":"<p >Zinc biology significantly impacts human physiological and pathological processes, especially for β-cell endocrinology. In 2021, our group reported the <b>PKZnR</b> family with minimal phototoxicity and μM affinities for monitoring Zn<sup>2+</sup>/insulin corelease during vesicular secretory events on β-cells (Zhang et al. <cite><i>Angew. Chem. Int. Ed.</i></cite> <span>2021</span>, <em>60</em> (49), 25846−25855). Here, we synthesized a series of Zn<sup>2+</sup> probes (<b>PKZnBR</b>) featuring thiomorpholine monoxide auxochromes with <i>K</i><sub>d</sub> values ranging from 160 nM to 94 μM. By inhibiting the twisted intramolecular charge transfer (TICT) state, the fluorescence quantum yields of <b>PKZnBRs</b> can be effectively increased to ∼7 times those of <b>PKZnRs</b>. A privileged candidate, <b>PKZnBR-3</b>, has a high turn-on ratio (∼134), appropriate affinity (340 nM), and excellent hydrophilicity, making it a powerful tool for long-term <i>ex vivo</i> recording of insulin secretion in mouse islets with minimal phototoxicity.</p>","PeriodicalId":53181,"journal":{"name":"Chemical & Biomedical Imaging","volume":"3 7","pages":"455–461"},"PeriodicalIF":5.7,"publicationDate":"2025-03-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12308593/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144762326","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Yong Tian, Weigeng Huang, Zhijia Sheng, Dingyuan Yan*, Dong Wang* and Ben Zhong Tang*,
{"title":"Nonlight-Driven Aggregation-Induced Emission Luminogens for Bioimaging and Theranostics","authors":"Yong Tian, Weigeng Huang, Zhijia Sheng, Dingyuan Yan*, Dong Wang* and Ben Zhong Tang*, ","doi":"10.1021/cbmi.4c0010810.1021/cbmi.4c00108","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1021/cbmi.4c00108https://doi.org/10.1021/cbmi.4c00108","url":null,"abstract":"<p >Aggregation-induced emission luminogens (AIEgens) have been prosperously developed and applied in the fields of optical imaging and theranostics since its establishment. Nowadays, AIEgens can fulfill nearly all requirements in optical imaging and theranostics with emission spectra ranging from visible to near-infrared wavelengths. Although a variety of AIEgens with varying wavelengths and functionalities have been continuously designed, their performance is heavily dependent on the use of conventional light sources, such as xenon lamps and lasers, which severely hinder further applications due to limited penetration depth and background autofluorescence in biological tissues. To mitigate these limitations and maximize the potential of AIEgens, unconventional excitation sources such as chemical energy, ultrasound, and X-ray offer effective alternatives that circumvent the drawbacks associated with traditional light-based constant excitation. In this Review, we introduce the fundamental principles governing the combination of unconventional excitation sources with AIEgens, highlight recent advancements in using AIEgens excited by these unconventional sources for bioimaging and theranostics, and discuss current challenges and future perspectives aimed at advancing the biomedical applications of AIEgens.</p>","PeriodicalId":53181,"journal":{"name":"Chemical & Biomedical Imaging","volume":"3 6","pages":"341–351 341–351"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-03-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://pubs.acs.org/doi/epdf/10.1021/cbmi.4c00108","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144338108","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Qian Sun, Hang Liu, Ying Yang, Shankun Yao, Zhipeng Liu* and Zijian Guo*,
{"title":"A Self-Immobilizing Photoacoustic Probe for Ratiometric In Vivo Imaging of Cu(II) in Tumors","authors":"Qian Sun, Hang Liu, Ying Yang, Shankun Yao, Zhipeng Liu* and Zijian Guo*, ","doi":"10.1021/cbmi.4c0011510.1021/cbmi.4c00115","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1021/cbmi.4c00115https://doi.org/10.1021/cbmi.4c00115","url":null,"abstract":"<p >Cu(II) ions play a critical role in tumor growth and metastasis, making in vivo high-resolution imaging of Cu(II) crucial for understanding its role in tumor pathophysiology. However, designing suitable molecular probes for this purpose remains challenging. Herein, we report the development of a photoacoustic probe for specific in vivo imaging of Cu(II) in tumors. This probe utilizes β-galactoside as a targeting group and incorporates a unique self-immobilization strategy. Upon β-galactosidase-mediated cleavage, the probe generates a reactive quinone methide intermediate that covalently binds to intracellular proteins, enabling selective tumor accumulation. The probe exhibits a ratiometric photoacoustic response to Cu(II) with high selectivity over that of other biological species. In vitro and in vivo studies demonstrated the efficacy of the probe for Cu(II) imaging in tumors. This research provides valuable insights into the role of Cu(II) in tumorigenesis and may facilitate the development of diagnostic and therapeutic approaches for cancer.</p>","PeriodicalId":53181,"journal":{"name":"Chemical & Biomedical Imaging","volume":"3 4","pages":"260–266 260–266"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-03-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://pubs.acs.org/doi/epdf/10.1021/cbmi.4c00115","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143878359","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Bishal Pokhrel, Fatiha Farhana, Li Zuo, Rebecca L. Stratton, Pravin Pokhrel, Mohammad Akter Hossain, Jiahao Ji, Hanbin Mao and Hao Shen*,
{"title":"Fluorogenic Linkage Integration for Nonfluorescent Transformations (FLINT)","authors":"Bishal Pokhrel, Fatiha Farhana, Li Zuo, Rebecca L. Stratton, Pravin Pokhrel, Mohammad Akter Hossain, Jiahao Ji, Hanbin Mao and Hao Shen*, ","doi":"10.1021/cbmi.4c0011410.1021/cbmi.4c00114","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1021/cbmi.4c00114https://doi.org/10.1021/cbmi.4c00114","url":null,"abstract":"<p >Since its creation, single-molecule optical imaging has revolutionized the study of catalytic processes, yet its application largely relies on probing fluorogenic reactions. To overcome this limitation, we propose the Fluorogenic Linkage Integration for Nonfluorescent Transformation (FLINT) approach, an imaging method to resolve nonfluorogenic reactions at the single-molecule level. Using glucose oxidation as a model reaction, we coupled this nonfluorogenic reaction with a fluorogenic Amplex Red (AR) → resorufin (RF) transformation to create a cascading reaction. This integration allowed us to monitor single-turnover events and extract key kinetic parameters for glucose oxidation despite their being invisible under the optical microscope. Our ensemble measurements combining cyclic voltammetry and fluorescence spectroscopy confirmed the cascade reaction mechanism and revealed first-order kinetics for both elementary reaction steps. At the single-molecule level, turnover time analysis provided detailed information on the reaction kinetics, distinguishing the relatively fast glucose oxidation from slower AR oxidation. We further confirmed the validity of the FLINT approach by comparing the catalytic performances of 5 nm gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) against that of 18 × 52 nm gold nanorods (AuNRs) and AuNP@DNA coronazymes. Furthermore, FLINT was used to evaluate the chiral selectivity of <span>d</span>- and <span>l</span>-glucose on coronazymes, suggesting the potential application of FLINT in enantioselective reactions. The FLINT approach is a significant advancement in single-molecule imaging as it enables the study of nonfluorogenic reactions with high spatiotemporal resolution.</p>","PeriodicalId":53181,"journal":{"name":"Chemical & Biomedical Imaging","volume":"3 4","pages":"253–259 253–259"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-03-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://pubs.acs.org/doi/epdf/10.1021/cbmi.4c00114","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143878360","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Bishal Pokhrel, Fatiha Farhana, Li Zuo, Rebecca L Stratton, Pravin Pokhrel, Mohammad Akter Hossain, Jiahao Ji, Hanbin Mao, Hao Shen
{"title":"Fluorogenic Linkage Integration for Nonfluorescent Transformations (FLINT).","authors":"Bishal Pokhrel, Fatiha Farhana, Li Zuo, Rebecca L Stratton, Pravin Pokhrel, Mohammad Akter Hossain, Jiahao Ji, Hanbin Mao, Hao Shen","doi":"10.1021/cbmi.4c00114","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1021/cbmi.4c00114","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Since its creation, single-molecule optical imaging has revolutionized the study of catalytic processes, yet its application largely relies on probing fluorogenic reactions. To overcome this limitation, we propose the Fluorogenic Linkage Integration for Nonfluorescent Transformation (FLINT) approach, an imaging method to resolve nonfluorogenic reactions at the single-molecule level. Using glucose oxidation as a model reaction, we coupled this nonfluorogenic reaction with a fluorogenic Amplex Red (AR) → resorufin (RF) transformation to create a cascading reaction. This integration allowed us to monitor single-turnover events and extract key kinetic parameters for glucose oxidation despite their being invisible under the optical microscope. Our ensemble measurements combining cyclic voltammetry and fluorescence spectroscopy confirmed the cascade reaction mechanism and revealed first-order kinetics for both elementary reaction steps. At the single-molecule level, turnover time analysis provided detailed information on the reaction kinetics, distinguishing the relatively fast glucose oxidation from slower AR oxidation. We further confirmed the validity of the FLINT approach by comparing the catalytic performances of 5 nm gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) against that of 18 × 52 nm gold nanorods (AuNRs) and AuNP@DNA coronazymes. Furthermore, FLINT was used to evaluate the chiral selectivity of d- and l-glucose on coronazymes, suggesting the potential application of FLINT in enantioselective reactions. The FLINT approach is a significant advancement in single-molecule imaging as it enables the study of nonfluorogenic reactions with high spatiotemporal resolution.</p>","PeriodicalId":53181,"journal":{"name":"Chemical & Biomedical Imaging","volume":"3 4","pages":"253-259"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-03-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12042045/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143995590","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"A Self-Immobilizing Photoacoustic Probe for Ratiometric In Vivo Imaging of Cu(II) in Tumors.","authors":"Qian Sun, Hang Liu, Ying Yang, Shankun Yao, Zhipeng Liu, Zijian Guo","doi":"10.1021/cbmi.4c00115","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1021/cbmi.4c00115","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Cu(II) ions play a critical role in tumor growth and metastasis, making in vivo high-resolution imaging of Cu(II) crucial for understanding its role in tumor pathophysiology. However, designing suitable molecular probes for this purpose remains challenging. Herein, we report the development of a photoacoustic probe for specific in vivo imaging of Cu(II) in tumors. This probe utilizes β-galactoside as a targeting group and incorporates a unique self-immobilization strategy. Upon β-galactosidase-mediated cleavage, the probe generates a reactive quinone methide intermediate that covalently binds to intracellular proteins, enabling selective tumor accumulation. The probe exhibits a ratiometric photoacoustic response to Cu(II) with high selectivity over that of other biological species. In vitro and in vivo studies demonstrated the efficacy of the probe for Cu(II) imaging in tumors. This research provides valuable insights into the role of Cu(II) in tumorigenesis and may facilitate the development of diagnostic and therapeutic approaches for cancer.</p>","PeriodicalId":53181,"journal":{"name":"Chemical & Biomedical Imaging","volume":"3 4","pages":"260-266"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-03-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12041948/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144050819","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Audrey Van Heest, Yuzhen Wang, Liang Zhang, Lucy A. Phillips, Samuel D. Karsen, Christine Nelson, Heather L. Knight, Stuart J. Perper, Stephen O’Brien, Meghan Clements, Victor Z. Sun, Andrew Goodearl, Annette Schwartz Sterman and Soumya Mitra*,
{"title":"","authors":"Audrey Van Heest, Yuzhen Wang, Liang Zhang, Lucy A. Phillips, Samuel D. Karsen, Christine Nelson, Heather L. Knight, Stuart J. Perper, Stephen O’Brien, Meghan Clements, Victor Z. Sun, Andrew Goodearl, Annette Schwartz Sterman and Soumya Mitra*, ","doi":"","DOIUrl":"","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":53181,"journal":{"name":"Chemical & Biomedical Imaging","volume":"3 2","pages":"XXX-XXX XXX-XXX"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-02-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://pubs.acs.org/doi/pdf/10.1021/cbmi.4c00065","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144397526","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}