An enzymatically activated fluorescence probe for targeted tumor imaging

beta-Galactosidase is a widely used reporter enzyme, but although several substrates are available for in vitro detection, its application for in vivo optical imaging remains a challenge. To obtain a probe suitable for in vivo use, we modified our previously developed activatable fluorescence probe, TG-beta Gal (J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2005, 127, 4888-4894), on the basis of photochemical and photophysical experiments. The new probe, AM-TG-beta Gal, provides a dramatic fluorescence enhancement upon reaction with beta-galactosidase, and further hydrolysis of the ester moiety by ubiquitous intracellular esterases affords a hydrophilic product that is well retained within the cells without loss of fluorescence. We used a mouse tumor model to assess the practical utility of AM-TG-beta Gal, after confirming that tumors in the model could be labeled with an avidin-beta-galactosidase conjugate. This conjugate was administered to the mice in vivo, followed by AM-TG-beta Gal, and subsequent ex vivo fluorescence imaging clearly visualized intraperitoneal tumors as small as 200 mu m. This strategy has potential clinical application, for example, in video-assisted laparoscopic tumor resection.