6533b7cffe1ef96bd12581a8

RESEARCH PRODUCT

Development of fluorescent platforms for the design of multifunctional compounds for in vitro and in vivo applications in molecular imaging

subject

description

The objective of this thesis was the development and evaluation of new molecular platformsfor optical fluorescence imaging applications. This work sought to develop new tools that caneasily be modified and adapted to the specific needs of the intended use. This is required asthe fluorophore will influence the final properties and should thus be incorporated beforestructural optimization of the selected agent rather than at the very end. Two main axes wereexplored; the use of BODIPYs for the development of trackable therapeutic agents that areprimarily intended for in vitro applications and the use of azaBODIPYs for the design of an invivo compatible fluorescent platform.In the first part two fluorophores on the basis of a 3,5-dichloro-BODIPY were identified aspromising platforms. These platform molecules were selectively functionalized using a gold(I)-phosphine moiety, a thiosugar and a phosphonium to explore their selective functionalizationand investigate the influence of each substitutents position on the final properties. Weshowed that a site-specific, selective functionalization with these fragile substituents ispossible and developed 12 gold(I)-bearing therapeutic agents. We evaluated thephotophysical properties of all obtained compounds which was followed by a characterizationof their biological properties (antiproliferative properties on 3 cancer cell lines, lipophilicbalance and cellular gold accumulation as well as fluorescence imaging on 3 cell lines for upto 24h). We succeeded in developing a panel of closely related trackable compounds thatdisplay mixed activity in cells and distinct cellular localization. This investigation permitted theselection of three to four hits that will be studied further.In the second part we developed an in vivo-compatible multifunctional platform following twostrategies: the first was the use of 1,7-di(phenol)-3,5-di(phenyl)-azaBODIPY and thefunctionalization of the hydroxy groups for the development of a bioconjugable NIR-I probe.Unfortunately the developed probe displayed very unfavourable optical properties; wetherefore developed a new strategy that is entirely based on the functionalization of the boronatom. Using this approach we successfully synthesized 2 watersoluble, strongly fluorescent(NIR-I) molecular platforms that were conjugated to an innovative antibody to image the PD-L1 ligand. The developed probes displayed excellent optical properties, are stable for at least48h in mice plasma and were validated in a preclinical study on mice. The developed probesdisplayed strong fluorescence in vivo and showed no acute toxicity.The developed methodology shows great potential for further investigations and futurestudies; it can be transposed onto other closely related fluorophores and permits versatilefunctionalization with a large variety of compounds of interest. Its use is thus not limited tobiological, biochemical and medical applications.