Targeting mitochondria and lysosome, and detect autophagy using fluorophore

Abstract

Cancer is major disease of the world. Currently, most studies focus on the treatment of cancer. Preventing the occurrence of cancer is important. Autophagy prevents cancer from occurring in the early stages of cancer. In addition, it is also suppressed at the final stage of cancer development. Dysfunctional mitochondria lead to cancer and cause disease. Therefore, detection of dysfunctional mitochondria and autophagy may reduce the incidence of cancer. In addition, lysosomes play an important role in eliminating dysfunctional organelles. Therefore, it is important to target mitochondria and lysosomes separately. So, TPP_ALD is penetrated to the mitochondria with triphenylphosphonium (TPP) which is known as mitochondria targeting moiety in cancer cells and Mor_HYD is penetrated to the lysosome with morpholine which is known as lysosome targeting moiety. TPP_ALD accumulate in mitochondria and induce dysfunctional mitochondria and Mor_HYD penetrate lysosome. Subsequently, lysosome recognize the dysfunctional mitochondria and form the autophagosome. When resulted autophagosome, the TPP_ALD reacted with Mor_HYD, leading to occurrence of the blue fluorescence. That turn-on process indicate that they formed the autophagy and induce the dysfunctional mitochondria.