Phosphorescent Light-emitting lridium Complexes Serve as a Hypoxia-sensing Probe for Tumor Imaging in Living Animals.

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Iridium complex is a promising organic light-emitting diode material for next generation video displays that emits phosphorescence quenched by oxygen. We focused this oxygen-quenching feature for imaging tumor hypoxia. We used Red light-emitting Ir(btp)_2(acac) (BTP)to image nude mouse-transplanted tumors, and succeed to image tumors. Since BTP is easily modifiable, we synthesized BTP analogues with a longer excitation/emission wavelength. One of them, BTPHSA, depicted clear imaging from tumors transplanted 6-7 mm deep from the skin surface. Another analogue, BTPDM, shines brighter than BTP in tumors, since BTPDM has character to access easily and reach in cells. We suggest that iridium complex materials have a vast potential for imaging hypoxic lesions such as tumor tissues.