Fig. 1: Structural motifs of probes targeting AD biomarkers and our design approach. | Nature Communications

Fig. 1: Structural motifs of probes targeting AD biomarkers and our design approach.

From: Discovery of NIRF theranostic probes targeting amyloid-β and cholinesterases in Alzheimer’s disease models

Fig. 1: Structural motifs of probes targeting AD biomarkers and our design approach.

a, b Representative structures of conventional histological dyes and D-π-A-based NIR probes featuring N,N-Dimethylamine donors for AD biomarkers, especially Aβ deposits in cerebral tissues and biochemical assays. c Chemical structures of AChE and BChE responsive “Off-On” probes for mapping in situ enzyme activity, but do not report Aβ activity. d Reported hybrid theranostic probes integrate Aβ-binding motifs with either metal-chelating groups (e.g., TBT, PiB-C) or cationic moieties such as quinolinium-carbazole (DBAN-SLOH) and naphthalene-cyanine (DNTPH) derivatives, which exhibit Aβ aggregation inhibition. Donor and acceptor moieties are highlighted in blue and red, respectively. e Chemical structure of representative neurofibrillary tangles (NFT) selective D-π-A NIR probes. f Strategy for engineering multifunctional theranostics via hybridizing known Aβ/ChE therapeutic fragments (F24, and ferulic acid) with existing NIR fluorophores (e.g., DANIR-2c, MCAAD-3). A hybrid scaffold was designed to integrate diagnostic imaging and therapeutic functions. g Structures of synthesized probes (I-30 to I-43), with modifications in aryl fragments marked in red boxes.

Back to article page