4-tert-butylphenoxy substituted phthalocyanine with RGD motif as highly selective one-photon and two-photon imaging probe for mitochondria and cancer cell

Abstract

An unsymmetrical phthalocyanine based one- and two-photon fluorescence imaging probe that substituted with 4-tert-butylphenoxy and RDGyK moieties was developed and characterized by UV-vis and high-resolution MALDI-TOF/MS. The conjugate is non-aggregated in [Formula: see text],[Formula: see text]-dimethylformamide, with relatively weak fluorescence emission ([Formula: see text] 0.023) and high singlet oxygen quantum yield ([Formula: see text] 0.55). Conjugation of the cyclic peptide sequence c(RGDyK) can enhance the cellular uptake towards the DU145 and PC3 cells. While the fluorescence is greatly enhanced in mitochondria, the conjugate is non-cytotoxicity either in dark or upon exposure to red-light with dose up to 12 J.cm[Formula: see text]. The results suggest that this conjugate is a promising multifunctional imaging probe for mitochondria and cancer.