Development of new chromophores based on the tricyanofurane moiety for different biological applications

Le tricyanofurane est un groupement extrêmement électro-attracteur grâce à trois groupements nitriles conjugués. Cette caractéristique électronique nous a permis de synthétiser de nouvelles sondes fluorescentes intéressantes pour l’imagerie biologique : de petites molécules possédant un caractère dipolaire très marqué qui leur confère une fluorescence très décalée vers le rouge.Une première application de ce genre de molécules est la détection du pH intracellulaire à l’aide de groupement phénol conjugué au tricyanofurane. Grâce à une rétro-synthèse judicieuse, il a été possible de développer une famille complète possédant une très large gamme de pKa couvrant tous les pH intracellulaires possibles. En fonctionnalisant ces sondes, il est possible de cibler certains organites tels les mitochondries. En remplaçant le groupement hydroxyle par un ester pinacolboronique, ces sondes sont sensibles au peroxyde d’hydrogène. Ce type de sondes est appelé OFF/ON car la sonde est initialement non-fluorescente et la fluorescence est restaurée par l’action du peroxyde d’hydrogène. Une étude de la fluorescence à l’état solide a aussi été menée sur des molécules présentant une émission intense dans le rouge. Celles-ci ont été utilisées pour créer des sondes enzymatiques solubles en milieu physiologique qui libèrent un fluorophore insoluble après activité enzymatique. Ce fluorophore, après précipitation émet une fluorescence non présente avant activation.Tricyanofuran is a strong electro-withdrawing group due to its three conjugated nitrile groups. This electronic characteristic was used to synthetize new fluorescent probes for biological imaging: small molecules owing a strong dipolar behavior that strongly shifts the fluorescence to the red. A first application of this kind of molecules is intracellular pH detection with a phenol moiety conjugated to the tricyanofuran. Thanks to a convenient retro-synthesis, a large family was developed displaying a large range of pKa spanning all the possible intracellular pHs. When these probes are functionalized, it is possible to target organelles such as mitochondria. When the hydroxyl group is replaced by a pinacolboronic ester, it is possible to detect hydrogen peroxide. This kind of probe is called turn-on probe because the probe is initially non-fluorescent and emission is restored by the reaction with hydrogen peroxide.Solid-state fluorescence was also studied on molecules presenting a strong and red fluorescence. This kind of molecules has then been used to design enzymatic probes soluble in physiological medium. After enzymatic cleavage, a non-soluble fluorophore is liberated and, after precipitation, leads to a strong emission

Développement de nouveaux chromophores basés sur le groupement tricyanofurane pour différentes applications en biologie

Tricyanofuran is a strong electro-withdrawing group due to its three conjugated nitrile groups. This electronic characteristic was used to synthetize new fluorescent probes for biological imaging: small molecules owing a strong dipolar behavior that strongly shifts the fluorescence to the red. A first application of this kind of molecules is intracellular pH detection with a phenol moiety conjugated to the tricyanofuran. Thanks to a convenient retro-synthesis, a large family was developed displaying a large range of pKa spanning all the possible intracellular pHs. When these probes are functionalized, it is possible to target organelles such as mitochondria. When the hydroxyl group is replaced by a pinacolboronic ester, it is possible to detect hydrogen peroxide. This kind of probe is called turn-on probe because the probe is initially non-fluorescent and emission is restored by the reaction with hydrogen peroxide.Solid-state fluorescence was also studied on molecules presenting a strong and red fluorescence. This kind of molecules has then been used to design enzymatic probes soluble in physiological medium. After enzymatic cleavage, a non-soluble fluorophore is liberated and, after precipitation, leads to a strong emission.Le tricyanofurane est un groupement extrêmement électro-attracteur grâce à trois groupements nitriles conjugués. Cette caractéristique électronique nous a permis de synthétiser de nouvelles sondes fluorescentes intéressantes pour l’imagerie biologique : de petites molécules possédant un caractère dipolaire très marqué qui leur confère une fluorescence très décalée vers le rouge.Une première application de ce genre de molécules est la détection du pH intracellulaire à l’aide de groupement phénol conjugué au tricyanofurane. Grâce à une rétro-synthèse judicieuse, il a été possible de développer une famille complète possédant une très large gamme de pKa couvrant tous les pH intracellulaires possibles. En fonctionnalisant ces sondes, il est possible de cibler certains organites tels les mitochondries. En remplaçant le groupement hydroxyle par un ester pinacolboronique, ces sondes sont sensibles au peroxyde d’hydrogène. Ce type de sondes est appelé OFF/ON car la sonde est initialement non-fluorescente et la fluorescence est restaurée par l’action du peroxyde d’hydrogène. Une étude de la fluorescence à l’état solide a aussi été menée sur des molécules présentant une émission intense dans le rouge. Celles-ci ont été utilisées pour créer des sondes enzymatiques solubles en milieu physiologique qui libèrent un fluorophore insoluble après activité enzymatique. Ce fluorophore, après précipitation émet une fluorescence non présente avant activation

Novel pH-sensitive probes with a ratiometric detection for intracellular pH

International audienceThe development of new pH-sensitive fluorescent probes based on a push-pull architecture is presented with a 2-dicyanomethylene-3-cyano-4,5,5-trimethyl-2,5-dihydrofurane as strong electron acceptor group. With a small structural change, it is possible to obtain a large range of phenolic pKa from 4.8 to 8.6 with some close to neutrality, underlining the role of the electron density modulation on the acidic properties. Remarkable changes in the optical properties (both absorption and fluorescence) were observed as a function of the pH. Ratiometric imaging of intracellular pH was carried out with the most promising probes and highlighted the possibility to distinguish near-neutral minor pH fluctuations in cells

Fluorescent push–pull pH-responsive probes for ratiometric detection of intracellular pH

International audienceA family of fluorescent push-pull pH-responsive probes based on 2-dicyanomethylidene-3-cyano-4,5,5-trimethyl-2,5-dihydrofuran as a strong electron acceptor group is described. Small structural variations allow obtaining pK(a) ranging from 4.8 to 8.6, underlining the role of the substituent in modulating the acidic properties. Remarkable changes in the optical properties (in particular the fluorescence intensity ratios) were observed as a function of pH. The most interesting probes with pK(a) close to neutrality were used for ratiometric imaging of intracellular pH

Solid state red biphotonic excited emission from small dipolar fluorophores

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Tuning the solid-state emission of small push-pull dipolar dyes to the far-red through variation of the electron-acceptor group

International audienceSeries of solid-state emitters based on the D-π-A dipolar structure and featuring various electron-donor and electron-acceptor groups were designed, and their spectroscopic properties studied. From weak emission in dilute solutions, intense emissions in aggregated state (AIE) and in the crystalline state were obtained. Analysis in light of crystal structures obtained by X-ray diffraction revealed specific crystal packing and presence of long chain of emitting aggregates. This simple molecular engineering around the D-π-A dipolar structure provides easy access to a wide range of effective solid-state emitters allowing modulation of emission wavelengths up to the near infrared (λem reaching 735 and 768 nm for compound 2f and 3f bearing the strongest electron-withdrawing group)

Cellular imaging using BODIPY-, pyrene- and phthalocyanine- based conjugates

International audienceFluorescent Probes aimed at absorbing in the blue/green region of the spectrum and emitting in the green/red have been synthesized (as the form of dyads-pentads), studied by spectrofluorimetry, and used for cellular imaging. The synthesis of phthalocyanine-pyrene 1 was achieved by cyclotetramerization of pyrenyldicyanobenzene, whereas phthalocyanine-BODIPY 2c was synthesized by Sonogashira coupling between tetraiodophthalocyanine and meso-alkynylBODIPY. The standard four-steps BODIPY synthesis was applied to the BODIPY-pyrene dyad 3 starting from pyrenecarbaldehyde and dimethylpyrrole. H-1, C-13, F-19, (BNMR)-B-11, ICP, MS, and UV/Vis spectroscopic analyses demonstrated that 2c is a mixture of BODIPY-Pc conjugates corresponding to an average ratio of 2.5 BODIPY per Pc unit, where its bis, tris, tetrakis components could not be separated. Fluorescence emission studies (mu M concentration in THF) showed that the design of the probes allowed excitation of their antenna (pyrene, BODIPY) in the blue/green region of the spectrum, and subsequent transfer to the acceptor platform (BODIPY, phthalocyanine) followed by its emission in the green/red (with up to 140-350 nm overall Stokes shifts). The fluorescent probes were used for cellular imaging of B16F10 melanoma cells upon solubilization in 1% DMSO containing RPMI or upon encapsulation in liposomes (injection method). Probes were used at 1-10 mu M concentrations, cells were fixed with methanol and imaged by biphoton and/or confocal microscopy, showing that probes could achieve the staining of cells membranes and not the nucleus

Near-Infrared-Emitting BODIPY-trisDOTA 111 In as a Monomolecular Multifunctional Imaging Probe: From Synthesis to In Vivo Investigations

International audienceA new generation of monomolecular imaging probes (MOMIP) based on a distyryl-BODIPY (BODIPY= boron-dipyrromethene) coupled with three DOTA macrocycles has been prepared (DOTA = 1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane-1,4,7,10-tetraacetic acid). The MOMIP presents good fluorescence properties and is very stable in serum. The bimodal probe was conjugated to trastuzumab, and an optical in vivo study showed high accumulation of the imaging agent at the tumor site. In-111 radiometallation of the bioconjugate was performed in high radiochemical yield, highlighting the potential of this new BODIPY-chelators derivative as a bimodal imaging probe