Issue 9, 2024

Jellyfish-inspired smart tetraphenylethene lipids with unique AIE fluorescence, thermal response, and cell membrane interaction

Abstract

Smart lipids with fluorescence emission, thermal response, and polyethylene glycolation (PEGylation) functions can be highly valuable for formulation, image-traceable delivery, and targeted release of payloads. Herein, a series of jellyfish-shaped amphiphiles with a tetraphenylethene (TPE) core and four symmetrical amphiphilic side chains were conveniently synthesized and systematically investigated as smart lipids. Compared with regular amphiphilic TPE lipids and phospholipids, the unprecedented jellyfish-shaped molecular geometry was found to enable a series of valuable capabilities, including sensitive and responsive aggregation-induced emission of fluorescence (AIE FL) and real-time FL monitoring of drug uptake. Furthermore, the jellyfish-shaped geometry facilitated the concentration-dependent aggregation from unimolecular micelles at low concentrations to “side-by-side” spherical aggregates at high concentrations and a unique mode of AIE. In addition, the size and the arrangement of the amphiphilic side chains were found to dominate the aggregate stability, cell uptake, and thus the cytotoxicity of the amphiphiles. This study has unprecedentedly developed versatile smart TPE lipids with precise structures, and unique physicochemical and biological properties while the peculiar structure–property relationship may shed new light on the design and application of AIE fluorophores and functional lipids in biomedicine and materials science.

Graphical abstract: Jellyfish-inspired smart tetraphenylethene lipids with unique AIE fluorescence, thermal response, and cell membrane interaction

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
05 Sep 2023
Accepted
26 Jan 2024
First published
13 Feb 2024

J. Mater. Chem. B, 2024,12, 2373-2383

Jellyfish-inspired smart tetraphenylethene lipids with unique AIE fluorescence, thermal response, and cell membrane interaction

Y. Zheng, Y. Li, C. Ke, M. Duan, L. Zhu, X. Zhou, M. Yang, Z. Jiang and S. Chen, J. Mater. Chem. B, 2024, 12, 2373 DOI: 10.1039/D3TB02068A

To request permission to reproduce material from this article, please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

If you are an author contributing to an RSC publication, you do not need to request permission provided correct acknowledgement is given.

If you are the author of this article, you do not need to request permission to reproduce figures and diagrams provided correct acknowledgement is given. If you want to reproduce the whole article in a third-party publication (excluding your thesis/dissertation for which permission is not required) please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

Read more about how to correctly acknowledge RSC content.

Social activity

Spotlight

Advertisements