Phosphinate Ester NIR Dyes for Deep-Tissue Imaging
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Solution Overview
Problem
Near-Infrared (NIR) dyes used for imaging and therapeutic applications face challenges due to lack of chemical stability in water or biological fluids, short emission lifetimes, and insufficient brightness, limiting their effectiveness in deep-tissue imaging and requiring the use of ionizing radiation in current medical imaging methods.
Innovation Solution
Development of xanthene-, oxazine-, and thiazine-based dyes containing a phosphinate ester group, which can be tuned for stability and brightness, enabling long fluorescence lifetimes and the production of photoacoustic signals without ionizing radiation, suitable for various imaging and theranostic applications.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If conventional NIR dyes are used for deep-tissue imaging, then imaging capability is enabled, but chemical stability in water or biological fluids deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent modifies the molecular structure of NIR dyes by introducing a phosphinate ester group and adjusting substituents on the xanthene, oxazine, or thiazine cores. This chemical parameter change enhances water and biological fluid stability while preserving NIR absorption properties above 650 nm
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates composite dye structures by combining phosphinate ester groups with xanthene, oxazine, or thiazine cores. This composite approach integrates the stability benefits of phosphinate esters with the optical properties of the core structures, achieving both chemical stability and NIR imaging capability
2Illumination intensity
If conventional NIR dyes are used for imaging, then imaging function is achieved, but emission lifetime is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent adjusts the molecular parameters of the dye by modifying the core structure (xanthene, oxazine, or thiazine) and substituent groups. These parameter changes extend the emission lifetime while maintaining bright fluorescence, enabling both high brightness and long emission duration for improved imaging performance
3Measurement precision
If ionizing radiation methods (X-ray, PET) are used for medical imaging, then imaging capability is achieved, but patient health is harmed by radiation exposure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces ionizing radiation-based imaging methods (X-ray, PET) with fluorescence and photoacoustic imaging using NIR dyes. This substitution eliminates radiation exposure while providing comparable or superior soft-tissue contrast and functional imaging capabilities through optical detection methods
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The phosphinate-containing dyes provide stable and bright NIR absorption, enabling deep-tissue imaging and theranostic applications without ionizing radiation, enhancing imaging depth and resolution while maintaining chemical stability in biological environments.
Implementation Method 1
Near-Infrared (NIR) dyes that absorb above 650 nm have attracted significant attention in the imaging community. The NIR absorbance of this type of dyes enables advanced, deep-tissue imaging in organisms, including humans.
Implementation Method 2
The fluorescence lifetimes and stabilities of the dyes can be tuned by modifying the molecule cores, making them suitable for a variety of chemical labeling, imaging, and other theranostic applications.
Implementation Method 3
It would further be desirable if the dyes could produce a photoacoustic signal for use as photoacoustic probes in 3D imaging applications without the need to use ionizing radiation.
Data Source
AI summary
In one aspect, the disclosure relates to xanthene-, thiazine-, and oxazine-based dyes containing a phosphinate ester group and having near-infrared (NIR) absorption and methods of making the same. The fluorescence lifetimes and stabilities of the dyes can be tuned by modifying the molecule cores, making them suitable for a variety of chemical labeling, imaging, and other theranostic applications. This abstract is intended as a scanning tool for purposes of searching in the particular art and is not intended to be limiting of the present disclosure.