Probes Encapsulated By Biologically Localized Embedding Research Articles

Real-Time Measurements of Dissolved Oxygen Inside Live Cells by Organically Modified Silicate Fluorescent Nanosensors

Optical PEBBLE (probes encapsulated by biologically localized embedding) nanosensors have been developed for dissolved oxygen using organically modified silicate (ormosil) nanoparticles as a matrix. The ormosil nanoparticles are prepared via a sol-gel-based process, which includes the formation of core particles with phenyltrimethoxysilane as a precursor followed by the formation of a coating layer with methyltrimethoxysilane as a precursor. The average diameter of the resultant particles is 120 nm. These sensors incorporate the oxygen-sensitive platinum porphyrin dye as an indicator and an oxygen-insensitive dye as a reference for ratiometric intensity measurement. Two pairs of indicator dye and reference dye, respectively, platinum(II) octaethylporphine and 3,3'-dioctadecyloxacarbocyanine perchlorate, and platinum(II) octaethylporphine ketone and octaethylporphine, were used. The sensors have excellent sensitivity with an overall quenching response of 97%, as well as excellent linearity of the Stern-Volmer plot (r(2) = 0.999) over the whole range of dissolved oxygen concentrations (0-43 ppm). In vitro intracellular changes of dissolved oxygen due to cell respiration were monitored, with gene gun injected PEBBLEs, in rat C6 glioma cells. A significant change was observed with a fluorescence ratio increase of up to 500% after 1 h, for nine different sets of cells, which corresponds to a 90% reduction in terms of dissolved oxygen concentration. These results clearly show the validity of the delivery method for intracellular studies of PEBBLE sensors, as well as the high sensitivity, which is needed to achieve real-time measurements of intracellular dissolved oxygen concentration.

Liquid polymer nano-PEBBLEs for Cl- analysis and biological applications.

The first nanometer scale anion sensing fluorescent spherical nanosensors, or PEBBLEs (probes encapsulated by biologically localized embedding) have been developed for the intracellular monitoring of chloride. The general scheme for the polymerization and introduction of sensing components creates a matrix that allows for the utilization of the highly selective ionophores used in poly(vinyl chloride) and poly(decyl methacrylate) ion-selective electrodes. We have demonstrated that our previously developed scheme for cation sensors can be utilized to tailoring selective submicron sensors for use in intracellular measurements of biologically relevant anions for which selective enough fluorescent probes do not exist. Three schemes were attempted for the development of chloride sensitive PEBBLEs. The first two used the Chloride ionophore indium(III) octaethylporphyrin chloride (In(OEP)Cl) (1) as an ionophore working in tandem with a chromoionophore and (2) as a chromoionophore with a peak shift generated by chloride mediated breaking of hydroxide ion-bridged porphyrin dimer. The third method used the optically silent Chloride ionophore III (ETH 9033) working in tandem with chromoionophore III (ETH 5350) to indirectly monitor Cl- activity by reporting the H+ coextracted into the matrix. Method 3 gave the most promising results, at a pH of 7.2 these PEBBLEs have a limit of detection of 0.2 mM Cl- with a linear dynamic range of 0.4 mM-190 mM Cl-. These PEBBLEs were delivered into C6 glioma cells, utilizing a gene gun, and intracellular chloride levels were monitored during ion-channel stimulation by kainic acid.

Fluorescent nano-PEBBLE sensors designed for intracellular glucose imaging.

Polyacrylamide-based, ratiometric, spherical, optical nanosensors, or polyacrylamide PEBBLEs (Probes Encapsulated By Biologically Localized Embedding), have been fabricated, aimed at real-time glucose imaging in intact biological systems, i.e. living cells. These nanosensors are prepared using a microemulsion polymerization process, and their average size is about 45 nm in diameter. The sensors incorporate glucose oxidase (GOx), an oxygen sensitive fluorescent indicator (Ru[dpp(SO3Na)2]3)Cl2, and an oxygen insensitive fluorescent dye, Oregon Green 488-dextran or Texas Red-dextran, as a reference for the purpose of ratiometric intensity measurements. The enzymatic oxidation of glucose to gluconic acid results in the local depletion of oxygen, which is measured by the oxygen sensitive ruthenium dye. The small size and inert matrix of these sensors allows them to be inserted into living cells with minimal physical and chemical perturbations to their biological functions. The PEBBLE matrix protects the enzyme and fluorescent dyes from interference by proteins in cells, enabling reliable in vivo chemical analysis. Conversely, the matrix also significantly reduces the toxicity of the indicator and reference dyes to the cells, so that a larger variety of dyes can be used in optimal fashion. Furthermore, the PEBBLE matrix enables the synergistic approach in which there is a steady state of local oxygen consumption, and this cannot be achieved by separately introducing free enzyme and dyes into a cell. The work presented here describes the production and characterization of glucose sensitive PEBBLEs, and their potential for intracellular glucose measurements. The sensor response is determined in terms of the linear range, ratiometric operation, response time, sensor stability, reversibility and immunity to interferences.

A real-time ratiometric method for the determination of molecular oxygen inside living cells using sol-gel-based spherical optical nanosensors with applications to rat C6 glioma.

The first sol-gel-based, ratiometric, optical nanosensors, or sol-gel probes encapsulated by biologically localized embedding (PEBBLEs), are made and demonstrated here to enable reliable, real-time measurements of subcellular molecular oxygen. Sensors were made using a modified Stöber method, with poly(ethylene glycol) as a steric stabilizer. The radii of these spherical PEBBLE sensors range from about 50 to 300 nm. These sensors incorporate an oxygen-sensitive fluorescent indicator, Ru(II)-tris(4,7-diphenyl-1,10-phenanthroline) chloride ([Ru(dpp)3]2+), and an oxygen-insensitive fluorescent dye, Oregon Green 488-dextran, as a reference for the purpose of ratiometric intensity measurements. The PEBBLE sensors have excellent reversibility, dynamic range, and stability to leaching and photobleaching. The small size and inert matrix of these sensors allow them to be inserted into living cells with minimal physical and chemical perturbations to their biological functions. Applications of sol-gel PEBBLEs inserted in rat C6 glioma cells for real-time intracellular oxygen analysis are demonstrated. Compared to using free dyes for intracellular measurements, the PEBBLE matrix protects the fluorescent dyes from interference by proteins in cells, enabling reliable in vivo chemical analysis. Conversely, the matrix also significantly reduces the toxicity of the indicator and reference dyes to the cells, so that a wide variety of dyes can be used in optimal fashion.

Fluorescent nanosensors for intracellular chemical analysis: decyl methacrylate liquid polymer matrix and ion-exchange-based potassium PEBBLE sensors with real-time application to viable rat C6 glioma cells.

Fluorescent spherical nanosensors, or PEBBLEs (probes encapsulated by biologically localized embedding), in the 500 nm-1 microm size range have been developed using decyl methacrylate as a matrix. A general scheme for the polymerization and introduction of sensing components creates a matrix that allows for the utilization of the highly selective ionophores used in poly(vinyl chloride) and decyl methacrylate ion-selective electrodes. We have applied these optically silent ionophores to fluorescence-based sensing by using ion-exchange and highly selective pH chromoionophores. This allows the tailoring of selective submicrometer sensors for use in intracellular measurements of important analytes for which selective enough fluorescent probes do not exist. The protocol for sensor development has been worked out for potassium sensing. It is based on the BME-44 ionophore (2-dodecyl-2-methyl-1,3-propanediylbis[N-[5'nitro(benzo-15-crown-5)-4'-yl]carbamate]). The general scheme should work for any available ionophore used in PVC or decyl methacrylate ion-selective electrodes, with minor adjustments to account for differences in ionophore charge and analyte binding constant. The reversible and highly selective sensors developed have a subsecond response time and an adjustable dynamic range. Applications to live C6 glioma cells demonstrate their utility; the intracellular potassium activity is followed in real time upon extracellular administration of kainic acid.