Conformationally Induced Off-On Cell Membrane Chemosensor Targeting Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases for in Vivo and in Vitro Fluorescence Imaging of Cancers.

Molecules capable of monitoring receptor protein-tyrosine kinase expression could potentially serve as useful tools for cancer diagnosis due to the overexpression of tyrosine kinases during tumor growth and metastasis. In this work, a conformationally induced "off-on" tyrosine kinase cell membrane fluorescent sensor (SP1) was designed and evaluated for the detection and imaging of receptor protein-tyrosine kinases in vivo and in vitro. SP1 consists of sunitinib and pyrene linked via hexamethylenediamine and displays quenched fluorescence as a dimer. The fluorescence of SP1 is restored in the presence of receptor protein-tyrosine kinases upon strong interaction with SP1 at the target terminal. The unique signal response mechanism enables SP1 use for fluorescence microscopy imaging of receptor protein-tyrosine kinases in the cell membranes of living cells, allowing for the rapid differentiation of cancer cells from normal cells. SP1 can be used to visualize the chick embryo chorioallantoic membrane and mouse model tumors, suggesting its possible application for early cancer diagnosis.