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Squaraine figure‐eight (SF8) molecules are a new class of deep‐red fluorescent probes that are well suited for fluorescence cell microscopy due to their very high fluorescence brightness and excellent stability. Three homologous SF8 probes, with peptidyl loops that differ by very minor changes in the peptide sequence, were synthesized and assessed for probe uptake by cancer cells. One of probes included the RGD motif that is recognized by many classes of integrin receptors that reside on the surface of the cancer cells, and it permeated the cells by receptor‐mediated endocytosis. In contrast, cell microscopy showed that there was negligible cell uptake of the two homologous SF8 probes indicating differences in probe targeting capability. The synthetic method allows for easy alteration of the peptide sequence; thus, it is straightforward to develop new classes of peptidyl SF8 probes with loop sequences that target other cancer biomarkers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A general synthetic method creates a new class of covalently connected, self‐threaded, fluorescent molecular probes with figure‐eight topology, an encapsulated deep‐red fluorophore, and two peripheral peptide loops. The globular molecular shape and rigidified peptide loops enhance imaging performance by promoting water solubility, eliminating probe self‐aggregation, and increasing probe stability. Moreover, the peptide loops determine the affinity and selectivity for targets within complex biological samples such as cell culture, tissue histology slices, or living subjects. For example, a probe with cell‐penetrating peptide loops targets the surface of cell plasma membranes, whereas, a probe with bone‐targeting peptide loops selectively stains the skeleton within a living mouse. The unique combination of bright deep‐red fluorescence, high stability, and predictable peptide‐based targeting is ideal for photon intense fluorescence microscopy and biological imaging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A general synthetic method creates a new class of covalently connected, self‐threaded, fluorescent molecular probes with figure‐eight topology, an encapsulated deep‐red fluorophore, and two peripheral peptide loops. The globular molecular shape and rigidified peptide loops enhance imaging performance by promoting water solubility, eliminating probe self‐aggregation, and increasing probe stability. Moreover, the peptide loops determine the affinity and selectivity for targets within complex biological samples such as cell culture, tissue histology slices, or living subjects. For example, a probe with cell‐penetrating peptide loops targets the surface of cell plasma membranes, whereas, a probe with bone‐targeting peptide loops selectively stains the skeleton within a living mouse. The unique combination of bright deep‐red fluorescence, high stability, and predictable peptide‐based targeting is ideal for photon intense fluorescence microscopy and biological imaging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The near‐infrared window of fluorescent heptamethine cyanine dyes greatly facilitates biological imaging because there is deep penetration of the light and negligible background fluorescence. However, dye instability, aggregation, and poor pharmacokinetics are current drawbacks that limit performance and the scope of possible applications. All these limitations are simultaneously overcome with a new molecular design strategy that produces a charge balanced and sterically shielded fluorochrome. The key design feature is a meso‐aryl group that simultaneously projects two shielding arms directly over each face of a linear heptamethine polyene. Cell and mouse imaging experiments compared a shielded heptamethine cyanine dye (and several peptide and antibody bioconjugates) to benchmark heptamethine dyes and found that the shielded systems possess an unsurpassed combination of photophysical, physiochemical, and biodistribution properties that greatly enhance bioimaging performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The near‐infrared window of fluorescent heptamethine cyanine dyes greatly facilitates biological imaging because there is deep penetration of the light and negligible background fluorescence. However, dye instability, aggregation, and poor pharmacokinetics are current drawbacks that limit performance and the scope of possible applications. All these limitations are simultaneously overcome with a new molecular design strategy that produces a charge balanced and sterically shielded fluorochrome. The key design feature is a meso‐aryl group that simultaneously projects two shielding arms directly over each face of a linear heptamethine polyene. Cell and mouse imaging experiments compared a shielded heptamethine cyanine dye (and several peptide and antibody bioconjugates) to benchmark heptamethine dyes and found that the shielded systems possess an unsurpassed combination of photophysical, physiochemical, and biodistribution properties that greatly enhance bioimaging performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cell line OVCAR-4 was recently ranked as one of the most representative cell lines for high grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSOC). However, little work has been done to assess the susceptibility of OVCAR-4 cells and tumors to the more common types of molecular targeting. Proteome profiles suggest OVCAR-4 express high levels of integrin αvβ3 receptors. Using flow cytometry with fluorescent antibodies we determined that OVCAR-4 cells have high number of integrin αvβ3 receptors ([9.8 ± 2.5] × 10 4 /cell) compared to the well-characterized cell line U87-MG ([5.2 ± 1.4] × 10 4 /cell). However, OVCAR-4 cells also have roughly three times the surface area of U87-MG cells, so the average αvβ3 receptor density is actually lower (11 ± 3 versus 18 ± 6 receptors/µm 2 ). A series of new fluorescent molecular probes was prepared with structures comprised of a deep-red squaraine fluorophore (∼680 nm emission) covalently attached to zero, one, or two cyclic pentapeptide cRGD sequences for integrin targeting. Microscopy studies showed that uptake of the divalent probe into cultured OVCAR-4 cells was 2.2 ± 0.4 higher than the monovalent probe, which in turn was 2.2 ± 0.4 higher than the untargeted probe. This probe targeting trend was also seen in OVCAR-4 mouse tumor models. The results suggest that clinically relevant OVCAR-4 cells can be targeted using molecular probes based on αvβ3 integrin receptor antagonists such as the cRGD peptide. Furthermore, deep-red fluorescent cRGD-squaraine probes have potential as targeted stains of cancerous tissue associated with HGSOC in surgery and pathology settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Near-infrared croconaine–peptide conjugates that target the cell nucleus promote photothermal induced cell death. In contrast, a croconaine–morpholine conjugate that targets the cell lysosomes promotes lysosome permeabilization without measurable cell phototoxicity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herein, we report on the use a biohybrid catalyst consisting of palladium nanoparticles immobilized on cross‐linked enzyme aggregates of lipase B of Candida antarctica (CalB CLEA) for the dynamic kinetic resolution (DKR) of benzylic amines. A set of amines were demonstrated to undergo an efficient DKR and the recyclability of the catalysts was studied. Extensive efforts to further elucidate the structure of the catalyst are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: New fluorescent molecular probes, which can selectively target specific cell surface receptors, are needed for microscopy, in vivo imaging, and image guided surgery. The preparation of multivalent probes using standard synthetic chemistry can be a laborious process due to low reaction yields caused by steric effects. In this study, fluorescent molecular probes were prepared by a programmed non‐covalent pre‐assembly process that used a near‐infrared fluorescent squaraine dye to thread a macrocycle bearing a cyclic arginine‐glycine‐aspartate peptide antagonist (cRGDfK) as a cancer targeting unit. Cell microscopy studies using OVCAR‐4 (ovarian cancer) and A549 (lung cancer) cells that express high levels of the integrin αvβ3 or αvβ5 receptors, respectively, revealed a multivalent cell targeting effect. That is, there was comparatively more cell uptake of a pre‐assembled probe equipped with two copies of the cRGDfK antagonist than a pre‐assembled probe with only one appended cRGDfK antagonist. The remarkably high photostability and low phototoxicity of these near‐infrared probes allowed for acquisition of long‐term fluorescence movies showing endosome trafficking in living cells. In vivo near‐infrared fluorescence imaging experiments compared the biodistribution of a targeted and untargeted probe in a xenograft mouse tumor model. The average tumor‐to‐muscle ratio for the pre‐assembled targeted probe was 3.6 which matches the tumor targeting performance reported for analogous cRGDfK‐based probes that were prepared entirely by covalent synthesis. The capability to excite these pre‐assembled near‐infrared fluorescent probes with blue or deep‐red excitation light makes it possible to determine if a target site is located superficially or buried in tissue, a probe performance feature that is likely to be very helpful for eventual applications such as fluorescence guided surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]