Simultaneous Detection of Local Polarizability and Viscosity by a Single Fluorescent Probe in Cells

Many intracellular reactions are dependent on the dielectric (“polarity”) and viscosity properties of their milieu. Fluorescence imaging offers a convenient strategy to report on such environmental properties. Yet, concomitant and independent monitoring of polarity and viscosity in cells at submicro...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Biophysical journal 2018-05, Vol.114 (9), p.2212-2220
Main Authors: Abbandonato, Gerardo, Polli, Dario, Viola, Daniele, Cerullo, Giulio, Storti, Barbara, Cardarelli, Francesco, Salomone, Fabrizio, Nifosì, Riccardo, Signore, Giovanni, Bizzarri, Ranieri
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
Cell Biophysics
Cell Survival
CHO Cells
Cricetulus
Electric Impedance
Fluorescent Dyes - metabolism
Green Fluorescent Proteins - metabolism
Microscopy, Fluorescence
Time Factors
Viscosity
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Summary:Many intracellular reactions are dependent on the dielectric (“polarity”) and viscosity properties of their milieu. Fluorescence imaging offers a convenient strategy to report on such environmental properties. Yet, concomitant and independent monitoring of polarity and viscosity in cells at submicron scale is currently hampered by the lack of fluorescence probes characterized by unmixed responses to both parameters. Here, the peculiar photophysics of a green fluorescent protein chromophore analog is exploited for quantifying and imaging polarity and viscosity independently in living cells. We show that the polarity and viscosity profile around a novel hybrid drug-delivery peptide changes dramatically upon cell internalization via endosomes, shedding light on the spatiotemporal features of the release mechanism. Accordingly, our fluorescent probe opens the way to monitor the environmental effects on several processes relevant to cell biochemistry and nanomedicine.
ISSN:0006-3495
1542-0086
DOI:10.1016/j.bpj.2018.02.032