A luciferin analogue generating near-infrared bioluminescence achieves highly sensitive deep-tissue imaging.

ABSTRACT: In preclinical cancer research, bioluminescence imaging with firefly luciferase and D-luciferin has become a standard to monitor biological processes both in vitro and in vivo. However, the emission maximum (?max) of bioluminescence produced by D-luciferin is 562?nm where light is not highly penetrable in biological tissues. This emphasizes a need for developing a red-shifted bioluminescence imaging system to improve detection sensitivity of targets in deep tissue. Here we characterize the bioluminescent properties of the newly synthesized luciferin analogue, AkaLumine-HCl. The bioluminescence produced by AkaLumine-HCl in reactions with native firefly luciferase is in the near-infrared wavelength ranges (?max=677?nm), and yields significantly increased target-detection sensitivity from deep tissues with maximal signals attained at very low concentrations, as compared with D-luciferin and emerging synthetic luciferin CycLuc1. These characteristics offer a more sensitive and accurate method for non-invasive bioluminescence imaging with native firefly luciferase in various animal models.

SUBMITTER: Kuchimaru T 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4911627 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature