DataVXACS NanoPaper
journal article·2026-01-13

A Nature-Inspired Steroid-like Electron Acceptor to Polarity-Dependent Probe for Visualizing Lipid Evolution in Alzheimer’s Disease

Lulu Wu, Wen-Jin Wang, Yuting Lin, Xuan Xu, Weiren Zhong, Jifu Wang, Jianyu Zhang, Zheng Zhao, Fritz E. Kühn, Xu Xu, Yun Xu, Ben Zhong Tang, Xu-Min Cai

ACS Nano· Volume 20· Issue 1
Publisher page
Source abstract

Abstract

Current petrochemical-based electron acceptors in advanced optical materials face problems such as structural diversity, renewability, and biocompatibility. Natural product-derived fluorescent materials with donor-acceptor structures, stimuli-responsive photophysical properties, and superior biocompatibility are crucial for biomedical applications like visualizing the lipid evolution in Alzheimer's disease (AD). In this work, a nature-inspired electron acceptor (DABT) analogous to steroids has been constructed based on the tricyclic diterpene skeleton of natural rosin. Through substitution with variable electron donors, the dimethyl amino-substituted compound, DABT-DMA, can be applied as a polarity-dependent biosensor with dual-stimuli responsiveness of distinct fluorescence wavelength and lifetime. The natural skeleton's advantageous biocompatibility and targeting capability enable lipid droplet-targeted imaging. Further investigations prove that the single biobased sensor can combine the bilateral advantages of two commercial probes, confirming that Aβ protein-induced lipid droplet dysfunction causes cholesterol analogue accumulation, worsening AD pathology. This work not only proposes a steroid-like natural electron acceptor with both biocompatibility and targeting capability but also offers insights into AD-related pathophysiological mechanisms.
Source: openalex_inverted_index · Quality: baseline

Research context

Biomaterials

OpenAlex topics: Cholinesterase and Neurodegenerative Diseases · Alzheimer's disease research and treatments · Molecular Sensors and Ion Detection

SciVX discovery tags are terminology-based. OpenAlex topics are source-provided classifications.

Affiliations

Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center of Efficient Processing and Utilization of Forest Resources, College of Chemical Engineering

Nanjing Forestry University

Clinical Translational Research Center of Aggregation-Induced Emission, School of Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Guangdong Basic Research Center of Excellence for Aggregate Science, School of Science and Engineering, Shenzhen Institute of Aggregate Science and Technology

The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen (CUHK-Shenzhen)

Institute of Chemical Industry of Forest Products

Chinese Academy of Forestry (CAF)

State Key Laboratory of Biobased Transportation Fuel Technology, Department of Polymer Science and Engineering

Zhejiang University

Molecular Catalysis, Department of Chemistry & Catalysis Research Center, School of Natural Sciences

Technische Universität München

Department of Neurology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School

Nanjing University

Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Luminescence from Molecular Aggregates

Funding

National Key Research and Development Program of China · Special Project for Research and Development in Key areas of Guangdong Province · Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Luminescence from Molecular Aggregates, South China University of Technology · Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province · Science, Technology and Innovation Commission of Shenzhen Municipality · National Natural Science Foundation of China · Shenzhen Medical Research Fund · Key Research and Development Project of Yunnan Province · Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Functional Aggregate Materials, Chinese University of Hong Kong - Shenzhen

References (77)

Show source-provided references
1. 10.1016/j.biotechadv.2015.08.00110.1016/j.biotechadv.2015.08.001 ↗
2. 10.3390/molecules2210168910.3390/molecules22101689 ↗
3. 10.1021/acs.jafc.2c0562810.1021/acs.jafc.2c05628 ↗
4. 10.1038/s41573-020-00114-z10.1038/s41573-020-00114-z ↗
5. 10.1002/agt2.35210.1002/agt2.352 ↗
6. 10.1002/agt2.67610.1002/agt2.676 ↗
7. 10.1016/j.cej.2022.14089210.1016/j.cej.2022.140892 ↗
8. 10.1002/exp.2022001110.1002/exp.20220011 ↗
9. Safford, W. E. Lignum Nephriticum: Its History and an Account of the Remarkable Fluorescence of Its Infusion . In Annu. Rep; Smithsonian Instuition., 1915; pp 271–298.
10. 10.1002/anie.20191672910.1002/anie.201916729 ↗
11. 10.1021/ja00797a00410.1021/ja00797a004 ↗
12. 10.1007/s00216-009-2903-910.1007/s00216-009-2903-9 ↗
13. 10.1039/C6NP00111D10.1039/C6NP00111D ↗
14. 10.1021/acs.analchem.5c0396310.1021/acs.analchem.5c03963 ↗
15. 10.1016/j.foodchem.2022.13215310.1016/j.foodchem.2022.132153 ↗
16. 10.1002/cctc.20240151010.1002/cctc.202401510 ↗
17. 10.1016/j.snb.2024.13604410.1016/j.snb.2024.136044 ↗
18. 10.1039/C8SC01635F10.1039/C8SC01635F ↗
19. 10.1002/adfm.20170619610.1002/adfm.201706196 ↗
20. 10.1016/j.xcrp.2022.10080310.1016/j.xcrp.2022.100803 ↗
21. 10.1021/acscentsci.3c0001210.1021/acscentsci.3c00012 ↗
22. 10.1093/nsr/nwad23310.1093/nsr/nwad233 ↗
23. 10.1002/advs.20230707810.1002/advs.202307078 ↗
24. 10.1002/asia.20240145110.1002/asia.202401451 ↗
25. 10.1038/s41467-021-22061-y10.1038/s41467-021-22061-y ↗
26. 10.1016/j.jfca.2023.10531610.1016/j.jfca.2023.105316 ↗
27. 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2023.12811710.1016/j.ijbiomac.2023.128117 ↗
28. 10.1038/s41598-022-10134-x10.1038/s41598-022-10134-x ↗
29. 10.1038/s41467-023-36375-610.1038/s41467-023-36375-6 ↗
30. 10.1038/s41580-018-0085-z10.1038/s41580-018-0085-z ↗
31. 10.1038/s41467-022-28769-910.1038/s41467-022-28769-9 ↗
32. 10.1016/j.jacc.2020.10.00810.1016/j.jacc.2020.10.008 ↗
33. 10.1093/cvr/cvz12710.1093/cvr/cvz127 ↗
34. 10.1038/s41577-024-01104-710.1038/s41577-024-01104-7 ↗
35. 10.1002/agt2.46310.1002/agt2.463 ↗
36. 10.1002/agt2.33310.1002/agt2.333 ↗
37. 10.1002/exp.2023015410.1002/exp.20230154 ↗
38. 10.1038/s41514-021-00064-910.1038/s41514-021-00064-9 ↗
39. 10.1016/j.cca.2016.02.02410.1016/j.cca.2016.02.024 ↗
40. Wang H. · Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. · 2021 · 118 · 12
41. 10.5582/bst.2024.0109210.5582/bst.2024.01092 ↗
42. 10.1016/j.immuni.2025.04.02910.1016/j.immuni.2025.04.029 ↗
43. 10.1038/s41586-024-07185-710.1038/s41586-024-07185-7 ↗
44. 10.3390/ijms2104150510.3390/ijms21041505 ↗
45. 10.1002/agt2.46010.1002/agt2.460 ↗
46. 10.1002/anie.20250215910.1002/anie.202502159 ↗
47. 10.1021/jacs.7b1281710.1021/jacs.7b12817 ↗
48. 10.1021/jacs.0c1232310.1021/jacs.0c12323 ↗
49. 10.1002/anie.20210416310.1002/anie.202104163 ↗
50. 10.1016/j.cmet.2024.03.01410.1016/j.cmet.2024.03.014 ↗
51. 10.1002/adma.20190353010.1002/adma.201903530 ↗
52. 10.1002/anie.20200704010.1002/anie.202007040 ↗
53. 10.1021/jacs.1c0417310.1021/jacs.1c04173 ↗
54. 10.1080/15583724.2017.132921010.1080/15583724.2017.1329210 ↗
55. 10.1021/jacs.3c0862710.1021/jacs.3c08627 ↗
56. 10.1021/jacs.4c1521610.1021/jacs.4c15216 ↗
57. 10.1021/jacs.5c0556510.1021/jacs.5c05565 ↗
58. 10.1002/anie.20161249510.1002/anie.201612495 ↗
59. 10.1021/acschemneuro.1c0081010.1021/acschemneuro.1c00810 ↗
60. 10.1039/C8RA02078G10.1039/C8RA02078G ↗
61. 10.6023/A2112058710.6023/A21120587 ↗
62. 10.1021/acsami.4c0029910.1021/acsami.4c00299 ↗
63. 10.1038/s41467-023-39479-110.1038/s41467-023-39479-1 ↗
64. 10.1039/c8sc01377b10.1039/c8sc01377b ↗
65. 10.1038/s41566-020-0653-610.1038/s41566-020-0653-6 ↗
66. 10.1002/anie.20220427910.1002/anie.202204279 ↗
67. 10.1021/acsami.9b0767710.1021/acsami.9b07677 ↗
68. 10.1016/j.jphotochem.2016.04.02310.1016/j.jphotochem.2016.04.023 ↗
69. 10.1002/cjoc.20059143010.1002/cjoc.200591430 ↗
70. 10.1016/j.jlumin.2018.05.06010.1016/j.jlumin.2018.05.060 ↗
71. 10.1126/sciadv.adc931710.1126/sciadv.adc9317 ↗
72. 10.1016/j.neuro.2019.09.01210.1016/j.neuro.2019.09.012 ↗
73. 10.1038/s41557-018-0031-x10.1038/s41557-018-0031-x ↗
74. 10.1107/S002188980804272610.1107/S0021889808042726 ↗
75. 10.1107/S205327331402637010.1107/S2053273314026370 ↗
76. 10.1107/S205322961402421810.1107/S2053229614024218 ↗
77. 10.3791/5319310.3791/53193 ↗