A silica supported tricarbocyanine based pH nanosensor with a large Stokes shift and a near infrared fluorescence response: performance in vitro and in live cells

TOUM TERRONES, YAMILI; COLUCCIO LESKOW, FEDERICO; BORDONI, ANDREA V.; ACEBEDO, SOFÍA L.; SPAGNUOLO, CARLA C.; WOLOSIUK, ALEJANDRO

Journal of Materials Chemistry B

Royal Society of Chemistry

Lugar: Cambridge; Año: 2017 vol. 5 p. 4031 - 4034

2050-750X

We report the synthesis of a near-infrared (NIR) fluorescent pHprobe with a remarkable Stokes shift reported (∼ 135 nm) basedon a tricarbocyanine (Cy-PIP). The fluorescent molecule wasanchored to SiO2 nanoparticles (Cy-PIP@SiO2) and is capable ofmonitoring pH changes within the physiological range (pH 6-8).The Cy-PIP@SiO2 nanoparticles were succesfully internalized byHeLa cells as shown by fluorescence confocal microscopy, whileflow cytometry revealed pH fluctuations during the endocytic pathway.