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Red AIE conjugated polyelectrolytes for long-term tracing and image-guided photodynamic therapy of tumors

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Abstract

Robust photosensitizers with strong red/NIR fluorescence, efficient reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and high photostability are highly desired for photodynamic therapy (PDT). Herein, three novel red conjugated polyelectrolytes (CPEs) with tetraphenylethene and 2,1,3-benzothiadiazole on the main chains and triphenylphosphonium on the side chains are developed. These CPEs display apparent aggregation-induced emission feature and high fluorescence quantum yields in the aggregated state. They can target lysosome in HeLa cells for fluorescence bioimaging. By virtue of the good retention effect and high photostability, these CPEs show ultralong-term tracing performance of subcutaneous tumors, and the tumor site can still be visualized for 20 days after injection. Owing to their good biocompatibility and strong ROS generation ability, the image-guided PDT based on these CPEs can effectively inhibit the growth of subcutaneous tumor and significantly prolong the survival of tumor bearing mice. The H&E and IHC staining reveal that the PDT of these CPEs depress the proliferation of tumor cells, and promote apoptosis and necrosis process. These new CPEs may be employed both as fluorescent probes for in vitro and in vivo long-term tracing and as photosensitizers for image-guided PDT of tumors.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (21788102, 21722507, 21974128) and the Natural Science Foundation of Guangdong Province (2019B030301003).

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  1. These authors contributed equally to this work.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Material, Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, 311121, China

    Hongming Yao, Jinya Yao, Zixuan Wu & Jian Zhou

  2. State Key Laboratory of Luminescent Materials and Devices, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Luminescence from Molecular Aggregates, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510640, China

    Zeyan Zhuang & Zujin Zhao

  3. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430074, China

    Jun Dai & Shixuan Wang

  4. Engineering Research Center of Nano-Geomaterials of Ministry of Education, Faculty of Materials Science and Chemistry, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, 430074, China

    Fan Xia & Xiaoding Lou

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  1. Hongming Yao
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Correspondence to Jian Zhou, Xiaoding Lou or Zujin Zhao.

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Yao, H., Dai, J., Zhuang, Z. et al. Red AIE conjugated polyelectrolytes for long-term tracing and image-guided photodynamic therapy of tumors. Sci. China Chem. 63, 1815–1824 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11426-020-9824-2

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