A versatile AIE probe with mitochondria targeting for dual-channel detection of superoxide anion and viscosity

Abnormal viscosity and excessive superoxide anion (O2•-) levels in living cells often cause a series of biological dysfunction and oxidative damage. However, a great challenge remains in quickly and conveniently detecting the viscosity and O2•- levels in living cells. Herein, we fabricated a versatile aggregation-induced emission (AIE) probe with mitochondria targeting, DTPB, for dual-imaging of viscosity and O2•- level in living cells with two different channels. The obtained DTPB contained a diphenyl phosphinic acid unit responsive to O2•-, a unit with twisted intramolecular charge trans (TICT) function responsive to viscosity, and a pyridine cation unit with mitochondria targeting. The results showed that DTPB exhibited a remarkable response to viscosity with a near-infrared emission peak at 671 nm and was highly sensitive to O2•- levels with an emission peak at 587 nm. The dual-channel probe has great application prospects in the visual diagnosis of cancer and related diseases.