Abstract
A new method for facilitating the delivery, uptake and intracellular localisation of thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) complexes was developed. First, confinement of TADF complexes in liposomes was demonstrated, which were subsequently used as the delivery vehicle for cellular uptake. Confocal fluorescence microscopy showed TADF complexes subsequently localise in the cytoplasm of HepG2 cells. The procedures developed in this work included the removal of molecular oxygen in the liposome preparation without disrupting the liposome structures. Time-resolved fluorescence microscopy (point scanning) showed initial prompt fluorescence followed by a weak, but detectable, delayed fluorescence component for liposomal TADF internalised in HepG2 cells. By demonstrating that it is possible to deliver un-functionalised and/or unshielded TADF complexes, a sensing function for TADFs, such as molecular oxygen, can be envisaged.
Highlights
Fluorescence-based bioimaging techniques are widely used to study the structure and function of bioactive systems in real-time
We developed a novel method for thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) emitter confinement and cellular delivery/uptake based on liposomes
Due to the inherent sensitivity of molecular oxygen on the TADF emission, the delayed fluorescence (DF) component, oxygen removal procedures must be applied on liposomal TADF emitters
Summary
Fluorescence-based bioimaging techniques are widely used to study the structure and function of bioactive systems in real-time. (Supplementary Figure S2) shows the fluorescence of liposomal DPTZ-DBTO2 in solution. Liposomal CF was used to test this hypothesis, and confocal images show emissive particles with a size of ∼100 nm in the CF spectral range (Supplementary Figure S3).
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