Robust liquid-core nanocapsules as biocompatible and precise ratiometric fluorescent thermometers for living cells

Intracellular thermometry with favorable biocompatibility and precision is essential for insight into temperature-related cellular events. Here, liquid-core nanocapsule ratiometric fluorescent thermometers (LCN-RFTs) were prepared by encapsulating thermosensitive organic fluorophores (N,N'-di(2-ethylhexyl)-3,4,9,10-perylene tetracarboxylic diimide, DEH-PDI) with hydrophobic solvent (2,2,4-trimethylpentane, TMP) into polystyrene/silica hybrid nanoshells. As the fluorescent thermosensitive unit of the LCN-RFT, the TMP solution of DEH-PDI was responsible for the fluorescence response to temperature. Benefitting from the hydrophilic nanoshells, the LCN-RFTs exhibited favorable anti-interference and biocompatibility. Furthermore, the LCN-RFTs showed an excellent precision of 0.02 °C–0.10 °C in a simulated physiological environment from 10.00 °C to 90.00 °C, and were employed to realize intracellular thermometry with an outstanding precision of 0.06 °C–0.14 °C. This work provides a feasible method of using hydrophobic organic fluorophores for intracellular thermometry by encapsulating them into nanocapsules.