Light-Induced Translocation of a Conjugated Polyelectrolyte in Cells: From Fluorescent Probe to Anticancer Agent

Dual-functional probes, which not only enable visualization of diseased cells but also induce therapeutic cellular responses, are essential to biological studies. In the current work, a conjugated polyelectrolyte, PPET3-N2, was designed and synthesized as a dual-functional probe. The poly(phenylene ethynylene) terthiophene polymer backbone contributes to the polymers light-harvesting property to ensure the strong fluorescence as well as photosensitization, whereas quantanary ammonium side chains interact with target organelle for localization. As a fluorescent probe, PPET3-N2 was endocytosed to lysosomes through clathrin-mediated endocytosis (CME) and macropinocytosis (MPC) pathways. Colocalization of the probe with commercial fluorescent lysosome labels confirmed that this probe localized on lysosomes with high specificity and photostability. Real-time monitoring of autolysosome formation in autophagic cells was also demonstrated, providing a viable platform for cell-based screening of autophagy inhibitors. Finally, as a photosensitizer, PPET3-N2 can efficiently generate singlet oxygen in living cells upon irradiation of white light, leading to the destruction of lysosome membrane and release of ROS and lysosomal enzymes in cytoplasma, causing cell death.