Quantum Dots with Phenylboronic Acid Tags for Specific Labeling of Sialic Acids on Living Cells

Sialic acids with a nine-carbon backbone are commonly found at the terminal position of the glycans structures on cell membranes. The unique distribution and ubiquitous existence of sialic acid on the cell membrane make them important mediators in various biological and pathological processes. We re...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Analytical chemistry (Washington) 2011-02, Vol.83 (3), p.1124-1130
Main Authors: Liu, Aiping, Peng, Shuo, Soo, Jian Chow, Kuang, Min, Chen, Peng, Duan, Hongwei
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Amino acids
Analytical chemistry
Animals
Binding sites
Biological and medical sciences
Boronic Acids - chemistry
Cell physiology
Cell Survival
Cells
Chemistry
Endocytosis
Exact sciences and technology
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Glycoproteins
Ligands
Membranes
Microscopy, Electron, Transmission
Molecular and cellular biology
Molecular Structure
PC12 Cells
Quantum Dots
Rats
Sialic Acids - analysis
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Summary:Sialic acids with a nine-carbon backbone are commonly found at the terminal position of the glycans structures on cell membranes. The unique distribution and ubiquitous existence of sialic acid on the cell membrane make them important mediators in various biological and pathological processes. We report a new class of imaging probes based on semiconductor quantum dots with small molecular phenylboronic acid tags for highly specific and efficient labeling of sialic acid on living cells. Our results have shown that the use of these probes enables one-step labeling and continuous tracking of the cell surface sialic acid moieties without any pretreatment of living cells. The one-step procedure with fast binding kinetics and the biocompatibility of these probes make it an ideal noninvasive technology for living cell imaging. We also find that the labeled sialic acids undergo quick internalization shortly after surface binding via endocytosis and eventually distribute in the perinuclear region. This distribution pattern is consistent with the notion that sialylated glycoproteins are populated on cell membranes and recycled through the vesicular exocytotic and endocytic pathways. The superior photostability and brightness of quantum dots enable quantitative analysis of the diffusion dynamics of sialic acids, which has been a significant challenge for glycan imaging.
ISSN:0003-2700
1520-6882
DOI:10.1021/ac1028853