Design and synthesis of a luminescent cyclometalated iridium(III) complex having N,N-diethylamino group that stains acidic intracellular organelles and induces cell death by photoirradiation

Inorg Chem. 2012 Dec 3;51(23):12697-706. doi: 10.1021/ic301310q. Epub 2012 Nov 12.

Abstract

Cyclometalated iridium(III) complexes have received considerable attention and are important candidates for use as luminescent probes for cellular imaging because of their potential photophysical properties. We previously reported that fac-Ir(atpy)(3)4 (atpy = 2-(5'-amino-4'-tolyl)pyridine) containing three amino groups at the 5'-position of the atpy ligand shows a maximum red emission (at around 600 nm) under neutral and basic conditions and a green emission (at 531 nm) at acidic pH (pH 3-4). In this Article, we report on the design and synthesis of a new pH-sensitive cyclometalated Ir(III) complex containing a 2-(5'-N,N-diethylamino-4'-tolyl)pyridine (deatpy) ligand, fac-Ir(deatpy)(3)5. The complex exhibits a considerable change in emission intensity between neutral and slightly acidic pH (pH 6.5-7.4). Luminescence microscopic studies using HeLa-S3 cells indicate that 5 can be used to selectively stain lysosome, an acidic organelle in cells. Moreover, complex 5 is capable of generating singlet oxygen in a pH-dependent manner and inducing the death of HeLa-S3 cells upon photoirradiation at 377 or 470 nm.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Antineoplastic Agents / chemical synthesis
  • Antineoplastic Agents / chemistry
  • Antineoplastic Agents / pharmacology*
  • Cell Death / drug effects
  • Drug Screening Assays, Antitumor
  • Ethylamines / chemistry*
  • HeLa Cells
  • Humans
  • Hydrogen-Ion Concentration
  • Iridium / chemistry*
  • Luminescent Agents / chemical synthesis
  • Luminescent Agents / chemistry
  • Luminescent Agents / pharmacology*
  • Luminescent Measurements
  • Molecular Structure
  • Organelles / chemistry*
  • Photochemical Processes
  • Structure-Activity Relationship
  • Tumor Cells, Cultured
  • Ultraviolet Rays*

Substances

  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • Ethylamines
  • Luminescent Agents
  • Iridium