Design, synthesis and imaging of a novel mitochondrial fluorescent nanoprobe based on distyreneanthracene-substituted triphenylphosphonium salt.

Targeting and monitoring the dynamics of mitochondria are of great significance because mitochondria are involved in a variety of physiological and pathological processes. For achieving this purpose, highly sensitive, photostable, tolerance and specific fluorescent probe is necessary. To obtain a superior mitochondrial fluorescent probe, (4-distyreneanthracenoxybutyl) bis(triphenylphosphonium) bromide (DSA-TPP) with aggregation-induced emission (AIE) characteristic was designed and synthesized for mitochondrial targeting. DSA-TPP dots with high fluorescence quantum yield (Φ = 17.9) and small particle size (8 nm) can be easily prepared by self-assembly formation. DSA-TPP dots had the ability of lightning mitochondria in living cells with high brightness, superior photostability and strong tolerance to cell environment change.