Dynamic covalent chemistry in live cells for organelle targeting and enhanced photodynamic action
Fei Liu, Dmytro I. Danylchuk, Bohdan Andreiuk, Andrey S. Klymchenko
Abstract
in model lipid membranes or nanoemulsion droplets. Fluorescence imaging in live cells reveals that the targeting hydrazide ligands can induce preferential localization of NRK dye and an anti-cancer drug doxorubicin in plasma membranes, mitochondria and lipid droplets. Thus, with help of the dynamic covalent targeting, it becomes possible to direct a given bioactive molecule to any desired organelle inside the cell without its initial functionalization by the targeting ligand. Localizing the same NRK dye in different organelles by the hydrazide ligands is found to affect drastically its photodynamic activity, with the most pronounced phototoxic effects in mitochondria and plasma membranes. The capacity of this approach to tune biological activity of molecules can improve efficacy of drugs and help to understand better their intracellular mechanisms.