Oxazolidine-Caged Heptamethine Cyanine Switch Exhibits High Photostability for Bioimaging via Buffering Fluorogenicity

Open AccessCCS ChemistryRESEARCH ARTICLES3 Feb 2025Oxazolidine-Caged Heptamethine Cyanine Switch Exhibits High Photostability for Bioimaging via Buffering Fluorogenicity QingKai Qi, Jin Li, Qinglong Qiao, Chenxu Yan, Mohammad Izadyar, Chao Wang, Syed Ali Abbas Abedi, Xiaogang Liu, Zhiqian Guo and Zhaochao Xu QingKai Qi , Jin Li , Qinglong Qiao , Chenxu Yan , Mohammad Izadyar , Chao Wang , Syed Ali Abbas Abedi , Xiaogang Liu , Zhiqian Guo and Zhaochao Xu https://doi.org/10.31635/ccschem.025.202405383 SectionsSupplemental MaterialAboutPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack Citations ShareFacebookTwitterLinked InEmail Fluorophores that exhibit superior photostability have vast applications, from long-term in vivo tracking to cellular super-resolution imaging. Herein, we showcased a promising buffering strategy that significantly enhances the photostability of the near-infrared (NIR) emissive heptamethine cyanine (Cy7) by simply employing a water-responsive oxazolidine (Ox) switch to cage the Cy7 scaffold. This switch establishes an equilibrium between non-fluorescent closed form (CF) and fluorescent open form (OF) isomers. This equilibrium effectively compensates for the loss of OF due to photobleaching. Proven effective in both in vitro and in vivo contexts, this strategy markedly improves the durability and utility of Cy7 for sophisticated imaging techniques, including stable NIR tumor imaging in live mice and mitochondrial super-resolution imaging, thereby paving the way for enhanced bioimaging capabilities even under intense laser irradiation. Download figure Download PowerPoint Previous articleNext article FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Issue AssignmentNot Yet AssignedSupporting Information Copyright & Permissions© 2025 Chinese Chemical Society Downloaded 9 times PDF downloadLoading ...