Work

Molecular Afterglow of Lophine‐Based Luminophore and Its Imaging Applications

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Lophine, the first chemiluminescent compound discovered in history, has rarely been applied for in vivo imaging since its discovery in 1877. In this report, we demonstrate that lophine's chemiluminescence emission could be significantly enhanced by caging the imidazole moiety via molecular afterglow mechanism. Notably, our study revealed a rare superoxide anion-mediated luminescence. Our novel probes JIMI-11 and JIMI-12 could be used for in vivo mouse imaging. Compared to its uncaged form JIMI-6, JIMI-11 exhibited a significant enhancement (126-fold) in vitro and a 190-fold higher emission signal in vivo. JIMI-11 selectively accumulates in white adipose tissues (WAT) and can be used to monitor changes in WAT mass in a mouse model of type-1 diabetes. Additionally, it can assess the therapeutic effects of Semaglutide in a mouse model of diet-induced obesity. Lastly, we designed JIMI-12 with a reactive oxygen/nitrogen species (ROS/RNS) responsive moiety as the caging group and demonstrated its utility for in vivo imaging of ROS in a lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammatory mouse model. Our studies suggest that re-designing lophine-based probes could unlock their potential for both in vitro and in vivo applications. The ability to switch from chemiluminescence to molecular afterglow introduces a novel approach to designing imaging probes.

Source: Angewandte Chemie International Edition

DOI: 10.1002/anie.202507174

Authors: Jun Yang, Yusheng Yang, Huizhe Wang, Steven H. Liang, Chongzhao Ran

Institutions: Harvard University, Massachusetts General Hospital, Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Emory University

Language: English

Topic: bioluminescence and chemiluminescence research

Subfield: Molecular Biology

Field: Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology

Domain: Life Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: green

Funders: National Institutes of Health, National Institute on Aging