Development of fluorescent probes that switch fluorescence OFF/ON by localizing to specific cancer cells

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K15416
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 37030:Chemical biology-related
• Research Institution: Kochi University
• Principal Investigator: OCHI Rika 高知大学, 教育研究部総合科学系複合領域科学部門, 助教 (80709618)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 蛍光プローブ / 自己組織化 / 凝集誘起発光 / がん細胞 / 超分子 / 生体分子

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In this study, we develop OFF/ON-type fluorescent probes that switch from non-fluorescent (OFF) to fluorescent (ON) by selectively taking up and localizing (aggregating) in prostate cancer cells. To achieve this purpose, we focused on aggregation-induced emission (AIE), which is non-fluorescent in the dispersed state but fluorescent in the aggregated state. We designed and synthesized probes containing an AIE-type dye moiety and a ligand site which selectively binds to prostate cancer cells and induces intracellular uptake. As a result of cell imaging experiments using a confocal laser microscope, we succeeded in discovering a probe capable of real-time imaging of prostate cancer cells without washing.

Free Research Field

超分子化学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

近年、AIE特性を利用した分子センシングならびに細胞イメージングが試みられるようになっており、色素骨格や検出対象のバラエティー拡張は重要な課題となっている。過酸化水素などに応答してAIE挙動を示す蛍光プローブが開発され細胞イメージングが試みられているが、特定細胞への選択的取りこみを実現した例はほとんどない。よって、本研究で細胞認識部位（リガンド部位）の導入によりがん細胞選択的なAIE挙動を示す蛍光プローブを開発することができれば、重要な知見を与えうると期待できる。