Rapid and accurate tumor-target bio-imaging through specific in vivo biosynthesis of a fluorescent europium complex

Abstract

A new and facile method for rapidly and accurately achieving tumor targeting fluorescent images has been explored using a specifically biosynthesized europium (Eu) complex in vivo and in vitro. It demonstrated that a fluorescent Eu complex could be bio-synthesized through a spontaneous molecular process in cancerous cells and tumors, but not prepared in normal cells and tissues. In addition, the proteomics analyses show that some biological pathways of metabolism, especially for NADPH production and glutamine metabolism, are remarkably affected during the relevant biosynthesis process, where molecular precursors of europium ions are reduced to fluorescent europium complexes inside cancerous cells or tumor tissues. These results proved that the specific self-biosynthesis of a fluorescent Eu complex by cancer cells or tumor tissues can provide a new strategy for accurate diagnosis and treatment strategies in the early stages of cancers and thus is beneficial for realizing precise surgical intervention based on the relevant cheap and readily available agents.

In vivo target bio-imaging of Alzheimer's disease by fluorescent zinc oxide nanoclusters

“…Our recent research illustrates that synthesized fluorescent nanoclusters (NCs) like gold or silver NCs could be readily utilized as a great potential probe for the highly sensitive optical imaging of oxidative stress linked pathologies such as cancers. [18][19][20] During these previous investigations, we also found that cancer cells could be detected by in vivo fluorescent bio-imaging through the biosynthesis of the biocompatible zinc oxide nanoclusters, and it reduced the further development of tumors. Based on the above considerations, in this contribution we have explored a new strategy for the in vivo bio-imaging of Alzheimer's disease through fluorescent zinc oxide nanoclusters biosynthesized in vivo in AD's brain through intravenous injection of zinc gluconate, which is an ideal organic zinc supplement with good biological compatibility and high bioavailability.…”

Recent Advances in Luminescence Imaging of Biological Systems Using Lanthanide(III) Luminescent Complexes

“…Control of the spectroscopic and chemical properties at the molecular level and the higher cell penetrability, due to the small size, of Ln III luminescent complexes, are advantages for use in luminescence imaging of biological systems. The formation of the Ln III complexes inside the cells is the most straightforward strategy used in luminescence imaging [117,118]. For example, treatment of Hepg2 cells with Eu(NO 3 ) 3 produced a luminescent Eu III complex that is not observed using the healthy L02 cell lines [117].…”

“…The formation of the Ln III complexes inside the cells is the most straightforward strategy used in luminescence imaging [117,118]. For example, treatment of Hepg2 cells with Eu(NO 3 ) 3 produced a luminescent Eu III complex that is not observed using the healthy L02 cell lines [117]. Although there is selectivity towards cancer cells, the identity of the ligands bonded to Eu III could not be figured out, and only a possible mechanism of formation involving NADPH was proposed.…”

Genome-wide functional analysis on the molecular mechanism of specifically biosynthesized fluorescence Eu complex

“…Especially for europium (Eu) species has been utilized for the sensitive detection of cancers [ 8 ], because the unfilled f and d molecular orbits can readily result in special optical properties. Considering of those observations, in this contribution we have explored the special biosynthesis strategy of Eu complex for fluorescence bioimaging of cancer cells [ 9 ].…”