Novel AIE Fluorescent Probes for Ultrahigh Sensitivity and High Photostability in Lipid Droplets Imaging

doi:10.7503/cjcu20250410

Novel AIE Fluorescent Probes for Ultrahigh Sensitivity and High Photostability in Lipid Droplets Imaging

GAO Xin^1,^†, QING Jia^1,^†, HU Yichen^{2,3, †}, SHUANGGUAN Zhichun⁴, LIANG Tongling², ZHOU Yongsheng^{1, *}, ZHANG Guanxin^{2, *}, ZHANG Deqing^2,3

1. Department of Prosthodontics, Peking University School and Hospital of Stomatology & National Center for Stomatology & National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases & National Engineering Research Center of Oral Biomaterials and Digital Medical Devices & Beijing Key Laboratory of Digital Stomatology & NHC Key Laboratory of Digital Stomatology & NMPA Key Laboratory for Dental Materials 2. Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, CAS Key Laboratory of Organic Solids, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences 3. School of Chemical Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences 4. College of Chemistry and Materials Engineering, Wenzhou University, Key Lab of Biohealth Materials and Chemistry of Wenzhou

Received:2025-12-30 Revised:2026-01-09 Online First:2026-01-16 Published:2026-01-16
Contact: Guanxin Zhang E-mail: gxzhang@iccas.ac.cn
Supported by:
Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos. 82530030, 22021002)

1. ESM to 20250410.pdf(632KB)

Abstract

Abstract: We designed and synthesized two novel aggregation-induced emission (AIE)-active probes, TPA-H and TPA-2F, based on a triphenylamine (TPA) core. Systematic characterization demonstrated that both probes exhibit excellent biocompatibility (cell viability > 90% at concentrations up to 50 μM) and outstanding LD-targeting specificity with minimal colocalization with other organelles such as mitochondria and lysosomes. During early differentiation of 3T3-L1 adipocytes, both TPA-2F and TPA-H clearly visualized small and nascent LDs that were difficult to detect with BODIPY, indicating superior imaging sensitivity. Moreover, TPA-2F demonstrated exceptional photostability, retaining over 90% of its initial fluorescence intensity after 160 continuous laser scanning cycles, significantly outperforming TPA-H. This work not only provides two high-performance LD imaging tools but also highlights the potential of AIE luminogens (AIEgens) in organelle-specific bioimaging, offering promising avenues for early diagnosis and mechanistic research of lipid-related metabolic diseases.

Key words: aggregation-induced emission (AIE), fluorescence imaging, lipid droplets；photostability

CLC Number:

O657

TrendMD:

GAO Xin, QING Jia, HU Yichen, SHUANGGUAN Zhichun, LIANG Tongling, ZHOU Yongsheng, ZHANG Guanxin, ZHANG Deqing. Novel AIE Fluorescent Probes for Ultrahigh Sensitivity and High Photostability in Lipid Droplets Imaging[J]. Chem. J. Chinese Universities, doi: 10.7503/cjcu20250410.

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Novel AIE Fluorescent Probes for Ultrahigh Sensitivity and High Photostability in Lipid Droplets Imaging

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