Synthesis of Multifunctional Cationic Poly(<i>p</i>‑phenylenevinylene) for Selectively Killing Bacteria and Lysosome-Specific Imaging

Abstract

In this work, a cationic polymer was synthesized to bear quaternized <i>N</i>-methyl-imidazole groups in the side chains. Positively charged PPV-M could selectively bind to Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria over fungi and exhibit enhanced antibacterial activity with the aid of white light because PPV-M could sensitize oxygen to generate reactive oxygen species (ROS) that would damage bacteria. In addition, green fluorescent and positively charged PPV-M has the ability to enter mammalian cells and be specifically accumulated in lysosome. Moreover, PPV-M could stay in live cells for a relatively long time, which implies that PPV-M has the potential to be a long-term imaging agent