Fluorescent properties of 9-anthracenecarboxamides

A number of new 9-anthracenecarboxamides are synthesized in order to create new fluorescent probes for studying biological systems. The parameters of their fluorescence in organic solvents of various polarities are investigated, and possible mechanisms of internal quenching of fluorescence of these compounds are discussed. One of the compounds, 4-ethoxycarbonylphenylamide of 9-anthracenecarboxylic acid, is shown to be a promising basis for the development of a new fluorescent probe. The English version of the paper: Russian Journal of Bioorganic Chemistry, 2004, vol. 30, no. 6; see also http://www.maik.ru.     

Synthesis of N-(9-Acridinyl)maleimide,a Fluorometrical Reagent for Thiol Compounds

The authors have reported¹⁾ a new maleimide type fluorescent thiol reagent, N-(9-acridinyl)- maleimide (NAM). In this paper the syntheses of NAM and its coupling products with thiol compounds are presented. NAM was synthesized from 9-aminoacridine and maleic anhydride through dehydratic cyclization in polyphosphoric acid. NAM showed no substantial fluorescence but its coupling products with thiol compounds exhibited strong blue fluorescence. Application of NAM for the fluorometrical analysis of cysteine and glutathione are suggested.     

Fluorescence studies on some hydroxypyridines including compounds of the vitamin B6 group

1. The variations with pH (from 36n-sulphuric acid to 10n-sodium hydroxide) of the excitation and fluorescence wavelengths and fluorescence intensity of 2-, 3- and 4-hydroxypyridine and their O- and N-methyl derivatives were investigated. 2. 4-Hydroxy- and 4-methoxy-pyridine were non-fluorescent at all pH values. 3. The cations and dipolar ions of the 3-hydroxypyridine derivatives and the anion of 3-hydroxypyridine were fluorescent, but the neutral forms were not. 4. All the forms of the 2-hydroxypyridine derivatives were fluorescent. 5. Pyridoxol, pyridoxal and its 5-phosphate, pyridoxamine and pyridoxic acid and its lactone were studied similarly. All these compounds, except pyridoxal 5-phosphate, were more fluorescent than 3-hydroxypyridine. 6. The most fluorescent forms of these compounds are the anions, except for pyridoxol, where the dipolar ion was the most fluorescent form. The least fluorescent forms are the neutral molecules. The dipolar ions were appreciably fluorescent in all cases. 7. The most fluorescent form examined was the dianion of pyridoxic acid lactone. 8. The cations were all fluorescent except the cations of 2- and 3-methoxypyridine. All the cations showed excited-state ionization. The excited pK(a) values of these cations were determined and the results are discussed with reference to Weller's (1952) equation relating ground- and excited-state dissociation constants. 9. The pK(a) values for all ionizations undergone by the compounds examined were determined from fluorescence data. 10. Stokes shifts for the various ionic and neutral species of the compounds examined were calculated and are discussed.     

Structural and photophysical properties of novel dual fluorescent compounds, 1‐aryl‐substituted 6‐methoxy‐4‐quinolones

Dual fluorescent compounds are useful platforms for the development of ratiometric probes and sensors. We have developed a new series of dual fluorescent compounds, 1‐aryl‐substituted 6‐methoxy‐4‐quinolones, and investigated their structural and photophysical properties. The X‐ray crystallographic analysis and ab initio quantum chemical calculations revealed that the developed compounds exhibited 60–75° twisted structures. The dual fluorescence of the compounds were observed in polar solvents, and the ratiometric fluorescence responses to alterations in the acidity and temperature were obtained. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Preparation of fluorescent tocopherols for use in protein binding and localization with the alpha-tocopherol transfer protein

Sixteen fluorescent analogues of the lipid-soluble antioxidant vitamin alpha-tocopherol were prepared incorporating fluorophores at the terminus of omega-functionalized 2-n-alkyl-substituted chromanols (1a-d and 4a-d) that match the methylation pattern of alpha-tocopherol, the most biologically active form of vitamin E. The fluorophores used include 9-anthroyloxy (AO), 7-nitrobenz-2-oxa-1,3-diazole (NBD), N-methyl anthranilamide (NMA), and dansyl (DAN). The compounds were designed to function as fluorescent reporter ligands for protein-binding and lipid transfer assays. The fluorophores were chosen to maximize the fluorescence changes observed upon moving from an aqueous environment (low fluorescence intensity) to an hydrophobic environment such as a protein's binding site (high fluorescence intensity). Compounds 9d (anthroyloxy) and 10d (nitrobenzoxadiazole), having a C9-carbon chain between the chromanol and the fluorophore, were shown to bind specifically and reversibly to recombinant human tocopherol transfer protein (alpha-TTP) with dissociation constants of approximately 280 and 60 nM, respectively, as compared to 25 nM for the natural ligand 2R,4'R,8'R-alpha-tocopherol. Thus, compounds have been prepared that allow the investigation of the rate of alpha-TTP-mediated inter-membrane transfer of alpha-tocopherol and to investigate the mechanism of alpha-TTP function at membranes of different composition.     

Masked red-emitting carbopyronine dyes with photosensitive 2-diazo-1-indanone caging group

Caged near-IR emitting fluorescent dyes are in high demand in optical microscopy but up to now were unavailable. We discovered that the combination of a carbopyronine dye core and a photosensitive 2-diazo-1-indanone residue leads to masked near-IR emitting fluorescent dyes. Illumination of these caged dyes with either UV or visible light (λ < 420 nm) efficiently generates fluorescent compounds with absorption and emission at 635 nm and 660 nm, respectively. A high-yielding synthetic route with attractive possibilities for further dye design is described in detail. Good photostability, high contrast, and a large fluorescence quantum yield after uncaging are the most important features of the new compounds for non-invasive imaging in high-resolution optical microscopy. For use in immunolabelling the caged dyes were decorated with a (hydrophilic) linker and an (activated) carboxyl group.     

Benzoxazinone derivatives: new fluorescent probes for two-color flow cytometry analysis using one excitation wavelength

A new class of fluorescent dye which upon excitation at 488 nm turns red is shown to be probe-suitable for using in flow cytometry alone or in conjunction with fluorescein derivatives. 7-dimethylamino 3-(p-formylstyryl) 1,4 benzoxazin 2-one is suitable for rendering microorganisms, such as Plasmodium merozoites and cells detectable by flow cytometry, allowing a dual fluorescence analysis when the cells are labelled with suitable fluoresceinylated ligands such as fluorescein labeled neoglycoproteins or antibodies. The synthesis of the new benzoxazinone derivatives is described: p-[beta-(7-dimethylamino 1,4 benzoxazin 2-one 3-yl)-vinyl]-phenylpropenoic acid can be easily activated as a hydroxysuccinimide derivative and linked to amino groups of polypeptides. Hydrophilic polypeptides such as poly-L-lysine or glycosylated polymers combined with this new fluorescent dye are shown to be helpful in analyzing cell surface receptors, in dual fluorescence flow cytometry analysis, using a single excitation wavelength and two sets of compounds labeled with the new benzoxazinone derivative and with fluorescein isothiocyanate, respectively. The new benzoxazinone derivative has a high molar absorbance, a good quantum yield fluorescence when it is bound to hydrophilic polypeptides and its fluorescence intensity is not dependent on pH in the physiological pH range.     

Inverse effects of D-galactosamine and inorganic phosphate on glycogenolysis in isolated rat hepatocytes.

Trichloroethanol is an efficient quencher of indole fluorescence of model compounds and proteins [Eftink, M. R. and Ghiron, C. A. (1976) J. Phys. Chem. 80, 486--493]. At low quencher concentrations, the quenching follows the classical Stern-Volmer law. Bimolecular rate constants calculated from measured quenching constants and lifetimes are equal to 6 X 10(9) M-1s-1 and 1.2 X 10(9) M-1s-1 for N-acetyltrypotophanamide and wheat germ agglutinin, respectively. Upon ultraviolet irradiation in the presence of trichloroethanol, transformation of fluorescent tryptophan occurs, leading to a fluorescent photoproduct. This can be easily used as a method for the quantitative determination of fluorescent tryptophan residues in proteins. In good agreement with previous results, two fluorescent tryptophan residues per polypeptide chain are found in wheat germ agglutinin. Concomitantly with the photochemical reactions, the hemagglutinating protein activity and its affinity constant towards chitin oligomers are reduced. A probable location of tryptophan residues in the binding sites of wheat germ agglutinin is proposed.     

Synthesis of novel taspine diphenyl derivatives as fluorescence probes and inhibitors of breast cancer cell proliferation

Two novel taspine diphenyl derivatives (Ta‐dD) were designed and synthesized by introducing different coumarin fluorescent groups into the basic structure of Ta‐dD. The main advantage of these two compounds is that they can be used as fluorescence probes and inhibitors simultaneously. In the present study, the fluorescent properties of the probes were measured and their inhibition of four breast cancer cell lines was tested. Different concentrations of the fluorescence probe were added to MCF‐7 breast cancer cells for fluorescence imaging analysis under normal conditions. The results suggested that both of the new compounds have not only fluorescence but also the ability to inhibit effects on different breast cancer cell lines, which indicates their possible further use as dual functional fluorescence probes in tracer analysis. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The fluorescent properties of acridines in the presence of chloroplasts or liposomes. On the quantitative relationship between the fluorescence quenching and the transmembrane proton gradient

The fluorescent properties of 9-aminoacridine were studied in chloroplasts and phospholipid liposomes.

In energized chloroplasts it was found that the percentage of fluorescence quenching was dependent on both the 9-aminoacridine concentration and the chlorophyll concentration. On the other hand, it was independent of the osmolarity of the medium.

In phospholipid liposomes the dependence of the fluorescence quenching on the concentration of 9-aminoacridine was similar to that in chloroplasts. Moreover, the fluorescence quenching depended on the presence of charged compounds in the membrane being larger in negatively charged than in positively charged liposomes.

The fluorescence of both the monoamine 9-amino-6-chloro-2-methoxyacridine and the diamine atebrin is quenched more extensively than that of 9-aminoacridine. Although the percentage of fluorescence quenching of both atebrin and 9-aminoacridine is dependent on the outside pH, the relationship between the fluorescence quenching of the two probes under similar conditions is not pH-dependent.

It is concluded that calculation of ΔpH from the percentage of fluorescence quenching of fluorescent amines is not meaningful, that the osmotic volume of chloroplasts is not involved in the quenching process and, consequently, that the interaction between the acridines and energized membranes is more likely to occur at the level of the membrane proper.     

Fluorescent CMP-sialic acids as a tool to study the specificity of the CMP-sialic acid carrier and the glycoconjugate sialylation in permeabilized cells.

The specificity of the Golgi carrier for CMP-sialic-acids and the lumenal sialylation of glycoconjugates in mechanically permeabilized cells (semi-intact CHO 15B cells) was studied with CMP-activated fluorescent sialic acids as sensitive markers. Semi-intact cells represent a well-established cellular model for studies on the constitutive secretion pathway because the perforated plasma membrane allows membrane-impermeable CMP-sialic-acids to gain access to cellular organelles. The subcellular structures of semi-intact cells remain morphologically intact and hence synthetic CMP-sialic-acids can be assayed as substrates for the corresponding Golgi sugar-nucleotide transporter. The results prove that the CMP-sialic-acid carrier is able to translocate fluorescent CMP-glycosides, despite the bulky fluoresceinyl residue located at position C5 or C9 of the sialic-acid moiety; the data suggest a slightly higher affinity of the carrier for the C9-substituted CMP-glycoside, whereas the affinity of cellular sialyltransferases is fourfold higher for CMP-5-N-fluoresceinylaminoacetylneuraminic acid (5-FTIUNeuAc; 5-N-fluoresceinylaminoneuraminic acid). Using CMP-9-fluoresceinylthioureido-N-acetylneuraminic acid (CMP-9-FTIUNeuAc), an easy and sensitive fluorometric assay was established for the lumenal sialylation in semi-intact cells. Cellular proteins and gangliosides are both labelled by covalent incorporation of the fluorescent N-acetylneuraminic acid analogue. The assay allows rapid screening for small biomolecules or proteins that influence cellular sialyl transport and sialyl transfer; the lumenal fluorescence incorporation does not require ATP or cytosolic compounds. The suitability of fluorescent CMP-glycosides as markers for intracellular sialylation, proven in this paper, introduces the use of synthetic sialic acids for visualisation of cellular sialic acid pathways by fluorescence microscopy. Based on the data presented here, specific CMP-N-acetylneuraminic-acid analogues can be produced and used for the characterization of the Golgi CMP-sialic-acid carrier.     

Presence of nontryptophan fluorophores specifically bound to gamma 2-crystallin

alpha-, beta-, and gamma-crystallins have been purified from nonpathological lenses of calves. The pure proteins have been examined for nontryptophan fluorescence and fluorescent compounds have been found specifically bound to gamma 2-crystallin. The protein has been unfolded by 6 M guanidine hydrochloride (Gdn-HCl) and a separation of the fluorescent compounds has been obtained by gel chromatography in the presence of 6 M Gdn-HCl. The spectroscopic features (absorbance, fluorescence) of the protein returned to normal following removal of the chromophores. The low-molecular-weight separated fluorescent compounds have been fractionated and extracted from the Gdn-HCl solution by ethyl acetate. TLC chromatography has shown the presence of kynurenine, 3-OH-kynurenine, and free tryptophan. These data suggest that direct involvement of the intrinsic protein tryptophans in the photochemical processes leading to formation of fluorescent compounds has to be excluded. Free tryptophan and intrinsic metabolic factors are probably more relevant in determining the cataractous insult.     

Fluorescent rotors and their applications to the study of G-F transformation of actin.

New fluorescent rotor molecules having hydrophilic functional groups, which are derivatives of p-(N,N-dialkylamino)benzylidenemalononitrile, were synthesized. Their properties as fluorescent rotors were confirmed by an observation of solvent viscosity-dependent fluorescence. Incorporation of hydrophilic groups into the molecules increased the solubility of fluorescent rotors in aqueous media; the application of the compounds to biochemical systems became feasible as a consequence. To demonstrate this applicability, we attempted to monitor the G-F transformation of rabbit skeletal muscle actin with these newly synthesized compounds. All the compounds carrying a malononitrile moiety showed greater fluorescence in F-actin. Among them, 1-(2-hydroxyethyl)-6-[(2,2-dicyano)vinyl]-2,3,4-trihydroquinoli ne gave the best result by the criteria of the difference in fluorescence quantum yield for G- and F-actin, solubility, and stability of the compound. The method has the major advantage of not requiring covalent modification of actin.     

Hydrophilic molecular rotor derivatives-synthesis and characterization

Recent research shows high potential for some p-N,N-dialkylaminobenzylidenecyanoacetates, part of a group known as fluorescent molecular rotors, to serve as fluorescent, non-mechanical viscosity sensors. Of particular interest are molecules compatible with aqueous environments. In this study, we present the synthesis and physical characterization of derivatives from 9-(2-carboxy-2-cyanovinyl)-julolidine and related molecules. All compounds show a power-law relationship of fluorescence emission with the viscosity of the solvent, different mixtures of ethylene glycol and glycerol to modulate viscosity. Compounds with high water solubility exhibit the same behavior in aqueous solutions of dextran, where the dextran concentration was varied to modulate viscosity. In addition, some compounds have been found to have low sensitivity towards changes in the pH in the physiological range. The compounds presented show promise to be used in biofluids, such as blood plasma or lymphatic fluid, to rapidly and non-mechanically determine viscosity.     

Use of a fluorescent polarization based high throughput assay to identify new calmodulin ligands

In order to develop a fluorescence polarization (FP) assay for calcium binding proteins, a fluorescent peptides based library of 1328 compounds has been synthesized. The use of this library has been validated by setting up a FP-high-throughput screening (FP-HTS) assay for calmodulin using the synthetic gene product (synCaM). With this assay, a set of 880 FDA approved compounds was screened. Besides the promazine class, we discovered two new classes of compounds that interact with calmodulin in a calcium dependent manner. One class has compounds with anti-histaminic/spasmolytic activities, and the other one are detergents with antibacterial activities.     

Synthesis and evaluation of near-infrared fluorescent sulfonamide derivatives for imaging of hypoxia-induced carbonic anhydrase IX expression in tumors

A series of human carbonic anhydrase (hCA) IX inhibitors conjugated to various near-infrared fluorescent dyes was synthesized with the aim of imaging hypoxia-induced hCA IX expression in tumor cells in vitro, ex vivo and in vivo. The resulting compounds were profiled for inhibition of transmembrane hCA IX showing a range of potencies from 7.5 to 116 nM and up to 50-fold selectivity over the cytosolic form hCA II. Some of the compounds also showed inhibition selectivity for other transmembrane forms hCA XII and XIV as well. Compounds incubated in vitro with HeLa cells cultured under normoxic and hypoxic conditions detected upregulation of hCA IX under hypoxia by fluorescence microscopy. A pilot in vivo study in HT-29 tumor bearing mice showed significant accumulation of a fluorescent acetazolamide derivative in tumor tissue with little accumulation in other tissues. Approximately 10% of injected dose was non-invasively quantified in tumors by fluorescence molecular tomography (FMT), demonstrating the promise of these new compounds for quantitative imaging of hCA IX upregulation in live animals.     

Specific interactions of quercetin and other flavonoids with target proteins are revealed by elicited fluorescence

The fluorogenic properties of quercetin and similar flavonoids common in plants were exploited to analyse their interaction with target proteins. Quercetin produced a strong fluorescent signal upon binding to bovine serum albumin (BSA) and insulin. The fluorescent signal showed saturation kinetics with increasing flavonoid concentrations indicating the presence of defined peptide binding motifs. Other tested proteins showed no fluorescence with the flavonoids. In a comparative study including 22 flavonoids the compounds with fluorogenic properties were identified using our model proteins BSA and insulin and the structural requirements for the fluorogenic property were defined. Only flavones with a high degree of hydroxylation were able to elicit fluorescence. The emitted fluorescence was strongly enhanced at alkaline pH. Finally, an attempt was made to identify intracellular target molecules in live cells. Drosophila follicles showed a distinct staining pattern thus giving evidence that high concentrations of quercetin binding proteins are present in the nuclei and are associated with the ring canals. The presented biochemical and cytological data show that the interaction of the studied flavonoids with target proteins is specific and this finding opens up new experimental possibilities to systematically identify the cellular proteins with specific binding motifs for quercetin or other fluorogenic compounds of medical interest.     

New fluorescence reactions in DNA cytochemistry. 2. Microscopic and spectroscopic studies on fluorescent aluminum complexes

Metal-dye complexes are widely applied in light microscopic techniques for chromatin staining (e.g., hematoxylin and carmine), but fluorescent complexes between phosphate-binding cations and suitable ligands have been little used. Preformed and postformed Al complexes with different anionic dyes induced strong and selective fluorescence reactions in nuclei from chicken blood smears, frozen sections, paraffin-embedded sections and Epon-embedded sections of mouse and rat tissues, mitotic chromosomes, meiotic chromosomes and kinetoplasts of Trypanosoma cruzi epimastigotes. The DNA-dependent fluorescence of these structures showed a very low fading rate. The emission colors were related to the ligand. The most suitable compounds for forming fluorescent Al chelates were 8-hydroxyquinoline, morin, nuclear fast red and purpurin. Staining with diluted carmine solutions and InCl3 mordanting, followed by 8-hydroxyquinoline, also induced chromatin fluorescence. After treating isolated mouse chromosomes with the preformed complex Al-nuclear fast red, x-ray microanalysis indicated a P:Al:dye binding ratio of about 40:15:1. The selectivity, stability and easy formation of these fluorescent Al complexes are obvious advantages for their use as new cytochemical probes in cytologic studies.     

Development of tetraphenylethylene-based fluorescent oligosaccharide probes for detection of influenza virus

Tetraphenylethylene (TPE) derivatives have strong fluorescence in aggregated state. We designed and synthesized a tetraphenylethylene derivative bearing alkyne groups which were used for combination by click chemistry. The new TPE compound bearing alkyne groups was used to synthesize fluorescence oligosaccharide probes which have lactosyl and 6′-sialyllactosyl moieties as ligands. We found that the TPE compounds bearing lactosyl and 6′-sialyllactosyl moieties were useful for detection of RCA120 and SSA lectins, respectively. Moreover, we have shown that TPE-based fluorescent oligosaccharide probe bearing 6′-sialyllactose moiety can be utilized as a “turn-on” fluorescent sensor for detection of influenza virus.     

Building Fluorescent Sensors by Template Polymerization: The Preparation of a Fluorescent Sensor for -Tryptophan

The development of fluorescent sensors for organic molecules is of great practical importance in chemical, biological, and pharmaceutical sciences. Using -tryptophan as an example, we have studied a new way of making polymeric fluorescent sensors using template polymerization or molecular imprinting techniques. The fluorescent polymers were prepared using functional monomers with a fluorescent probe attached to it. The fluorescence of this polymer could be quenched by 4-nitrobenzaldehyde. Addition of the template molecules, -tryptophan, increased the fluorescence intensity of the imprinted polymer/quencher mixture in a concentration-dependent fashion, presumably through the displacement of the quencher from the binding sites by -tryptophan. This fluorescence intensity change upon mixing with -tryptophan allows the binding event to be detected easily. The sensor also exhibited enantioselectivity for the template molecules. For example, the effect of -tryptophan on the fluorescence intensity of the polymer is about 70% that of its -enantiomer. Furthermore, the effect of -phenylalanine and -alanine on the fluorescence intensity change is much smaller than that of -tryptophan. Because the approach used does not require the de novo design of the complementary binding site and does not rely on any specific structural features of the template molecule or prior knowledge of its three-dimensional structure, the same principle could potentially be useful for the future construction of practical fluorescent sensors for many other compounds.