Mitochondrial Dynamics Tracking with Two-Photon Phosphorescent Terpyridyl Iridium(III) Complexes

Sci Rep. 2016 Feb 11:6:20887. doi: 10.1038/srep20887.

Abstract

Mitochondrial dynamics, including fission and fusion, control the morphology and function of mitochondria, and disruption of mitochondrial dynamics leads to Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, metabolic diseases, and cancers. Currently, many types of commercial mitochondria probes are available, but high excitation energy and low photo-stability render them unsuitable for tracking mitochondrial dynamics in living cells. Therefore, mitochondrial targeting agents that exhibit superior anti-photo-bleaching ability, deep tissue penetration and intrinsically high three-dimensional resolutions are urgently needed. Two-photon-excited compounds that use low-energy near-infrared excitation lasers have emerged as non-invasive tools for cell imaging. In this work, terpyridyl cyclometalated Ir(III) complexes (Ir1-Ir3) are demonstrated as one- and two-photon phosphorescent probes for real-time imaging and tracking of mitochondrial morphology changes in living cells.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Carbonyl Cyanide m-Chlorophenyl Hydrazone / pharmacology
  • Cell Survival / drug effects
  • Coordination Complexes / chemical synthesis
  • Coordination Complexes / metabolism*
  • HeLa Cells
  • Humans
  • Iridium / chemistry
  • Luminescent Agents / chemical synthesis
  • Luminescent Agents / metabolism*
  • Mitochondria / metabolism
  • Mitochondria / ultrastructure*
  • Mitochondrial Dynamics*
  • Molecular Imaging
  • Organic Chemicals / chemistry
  • Photons*
  • Proton Ionophores / pharmacology
  • Pyridines / chemistry
  • Sirolimus / pharmacology
  • Spheroids, Cellular / metabolism
  • Spheroids, Cellular / ultrastructure*

Substances

  • Coordination Complexes
  • Luminescent Agents
  • MitoTracker Red 580
  • Organic Chemicals
  • Proton Ionophores
  • Pyridines
  • Iridium
  • Carbonyl Cyanide m-Chlorophenyl Hydrazone
  • Sirolimus