Issue 36, 2020

Self-assembled amphiphilic fluorescent probe: detecting pH-fluctuations within cancer cells and tumour tissues

Abstract

Abnormal anaerobic metabolism leads to a lowering of the pH of many tumours, both within specific intracellular organelles and in the surrounding extracellular regions. Information relating to pH-fluctuations in cells and tissues could aid in the identification of neoplastic lesions and in understanding the determinants of carcinogenesis. Here we report an amphiphilic fluorescent pH probe (CS-1) that, as a result of its temporal motion, provides pH-related information in cancer cell membranes and selected intracellular organelles without the need for specific tumour targeting. Time-dependent cell imaging studies reveal that CS-1 localizes within the cancer cell-membrane about 20 min post-incubation. This is followed by migration to the lysosomes at 30 min before being taken up in the mitochondria after about 60 min. Probe CS-1 can selectively label cancer cells and 3D cancer spheroids and be readily observed using the green fluorescence channel (λem = 532 nm). In contrast, CS-1 only labels normal cells marginally, with relatively low Pearson's correlation coefficients being found when co-incubated with standard intracellular organelle probes. Both in vivo and ex vivo experiments provide support for the suggestion that CS-1 acts as a fluorescent label for the periphery of tumours, an effect ascribed to proton-induced aggregation. A much lower response is seen for muscle and liver. Based on the present results, we propose that sensors such as CS-1 may have a role to play in the clinical and pathological detection of tumour tissues or serve as guiding aids for surgery.

Graphical abstract: Self-assembled amphiphilic fluorescent probe: detecting pH-fluctuations within cancer cells and tumour tissues

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Edge Article
Submitted
11 7 2020
Accepted
28 8 2020
First published
28 8 2020
This article is Open Access

All publication charges for this article have been paid for by the Royal Society of Chemistry
Creative Commons BY license

Chem. Sci., 2020,11, 9875-9883

Self-assembled amphiphilic fluorescent probe: detecting pH-fluctuations within cancer cells and tumour tissues

S. Y. Kim, A. Podder, H. Lee, Y. Cho, E. H. Han, S. Khatun, J. L. Sessler, K. S. Hong and S. Bhuniya, Chem. Sci., 2020, 11, 9875 DOI: 10.1039/D0SC03795H

This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported Licence. You can use material from this article in other publications without requesting further permissions from the RSC, provided that the correct acknowledgement is given.

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