Chem. J. Chinese Universities ›› 2025, Vol. 46 ›› Issue (12): 20250204.doi: 10.7503/cjcu20250204

• Analytical Chemistry • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Fluorescent Probes Constructed Based on Conformationally-adaptive Fluorophores for the In⁃situ Visualization of Lipid Droplets

ZHOU Yichao1, TIAN He1, HAN Haihao2, WANG Chenhan1, HU XiLe1, HE Xiaopeng1()   

  1. 1.Key Laboratory for Advanced Materials and Joint International Research Laboratory of Precision Chemistry and Molecular Engineering,Feringa Nobel Prize Scientist Joint Research Center,Frontiers Center for Materiobiology and Dynamic Chemistry,School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering,East China University of Science and Technology,Shanghai 200237,China
    2.Shandong Laboratory of Yantai Drug Discovery,Bohai Rim Advanced Research Institute for Drug Discovery,Yantai 264117,China
  • Received:2025-07-22 Online:2025-12-10 Published:2025-10-30
  • Contact: HE Xiaopeng E-mail:xphe@ecust.edu.cn
  • Supported by:
    the National Nature Science Foundation of China(92253306)

Abstract:

In this study, a ratiometric fluorescent probe, TPP⁃DPAC, was developed for dual labeling of lipid droplets(LDs) and mitochondria. This probe was constructed by conjugating the lipophilic "conformational adaptive" fluorophore NN'-diphenyl-dihydrodibenzo[a,c]phenazine(DPAC)—which exhibits dual fluorescence emission—with the mitochondrial-targeting group triphenylphosphine(TPP). By co-incubating OA-induced HepG2 cells with the probe to stimulate LD formation, it was demonstrated that TPP⁃DPAC could simultaneously label both LDs and mitochondria. The fluorescence imaging co-localization coefficients(Rr) were 0.96 and 0.95, respectively. Further experiments revealed that the probe undergoes dynamic changes in red/blue fluorescence signals due to its conformational adaptation to the local cellular microenvironment, thereby enabling in situ tracing of dynamic cellular processes such as LD formation and fusion. This ratiometric fluorescent probe provides a visualization tool for monitoring intracellular LD metabolism and its interaction with mitochondria, and offers a new strategy for studying interactions between LDs and other subcellular organelles.

Key words: Fluorescent probe, Lipid droplet, Mitochondria, Fluorescence imaging

CLC Number: 

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