Mitochondria-targeted phosphorescent cyclometalated iridium(III) complex for bioimaging of H2S

Ben Liu; Jing Long; Meng Zhang; Kaiming Cheng; Xin Gao; Yibo Zhou; Yi Li; Zilong Tang; Wei Zhang

doi:10.1016/j.jinorgbio.2021.111626

Mitochondria-targeted phosphorescent cyclometalated iridium(III) complex for bioimaging of H₂S

J Inorg Biochem. 2022 Jan:226:111626. doi: 10.1016/j.jinorgbio.2021.111626. Epub 2021 Oct 7.

Authors

Ben Liu¹, Jing Long², Meng Zhang³, Kaiming Cheng¹, Xin Gao¹, Yibo Zhou⁴, Yi Li⁵, Zilong Tang⁶, Wei Zhang⁷

Affiliations

¹ Key Laboratory of Theoretical Organic Chemistry and Function Molecule, Ministry of Education, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Hunan University of Science and Technology, Xiangtan 411201, China.
² Centre for Translational Medicine Research & Development, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China.
³ South China National Centre of Metrology, Guangdong Institute of Metrology, Guangzhou 510405, PR China.
⁴ Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Cytochemistry, School of Chemistry and Food Engineering, Changsha University of Science and Technology, Changsha 410114, PR China.
⁵ Key Laboratory of Theoretical Organic Chemistry and Function Molecule, Ministry of Education, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Hunan University of Science and Technology, Xiangtan 411201, China. Electronic address: yli@hnust.edu.cn.
⁶ Key Laboratory of Theoretical Organic Chemistry and Function Molecule, Ministry of Education, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Hunan University of Science and Technology, Xiangtan 411201, China. Electronic address: zltang@hnust.edu.cn.
⁷ Centre for Translational Medicine Research & Development, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China. Electronic address: zhang.wei@siat.ac.cn.

PMID: 34655961
DOI: 10.1016/j.jinorgbio.2021.111626

Abstract

The selective visualization of H₂S in mitochondria is still a challenge, but it correlates closely with mitochondrial damage and some related diseases. In this work, a cyclometalated iridium complex Ir-DNB, [Ir(ppy)₂(N^N)](PF₆) (ppy = 2-phenylpyridine, N^N = (4'-methyl-[2,2'-bipyridin]-4-yl)methyl 2-((2,4-dinitrophenyl) thio)benzoate) has been explored for the detection of mitochondrial H₂S. Adding H₂S to a solution of complex Ir-DNB results in a clearly luminescence enhancement, and displays high selectivity and sensitivity. Moreover, this complex displays negligible toxicity and good mitochondrial localization to HeLa cells, and has also been successfully used for endogenous and exogenous H₂S imaging in vitro and in vivo.

Keywords: Bioimaging; Hydrogen sulfide; Iridium complex; Mitochondria-targeted.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Animals
Coordination Complexes / chemistry*
Female
Fluorescent Dyes / chemistry*
HeLa Cells
Humans
Hydrogen Sulfide / metabolism*
Iridium / chemistry*
Mice
Mice, Inbred BALB C
Mice, Nude
Microscopy, Fluorescence
Mitochondria / metabolism*

Substances

Coordination Complexes
Fluorescent Dyes
Iridium
Hydrogen Sulfide