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bioRxiv · 10.1101/2025.05.29.655717

Visualizing the Chronicle of Multiple Cell Fate using a Near-IR Dual-RNA/DNA-Targeting Probe

Sutrisno, L.·Richards, G. J.·Evans, J. D.·Matsumoto, M.·Li, X.·Uto, K.·Hill, J. P.·Taki, M.·Yamaguchi, S.·Ariga, K.
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Abstract

Early detection and late-stage cell fate assessment are key factors to develop therapeutic strategies, although current methods cannot capture early responses or distinguish multiple injury states, especially in UV-vis-sensitive cells. Here, we introduce a method to simultaneously detect variations in RNA and DNA under near-infrared photoexcitation. Utilizing a pyrazinacene-based probe (TEG8-N14), we unexpectedly achieved discrimination of multiple cell states, including apoptosis, necrosis, necroptosis, and senescence, based on RNA-DNA changes. Specifically, TEG8-N14 selectively stains necrotic cells in live samples, while after fixation, it allows detection of ultra-early senescence in UV-vis-sensitive cells, providing approximately two-fold greater informational content than existing RNA or DNA fluorophores. These findings break current imaging barriers by enabling comprehensive visualization of single-cell fate histories without being affected by UV-vis or genetic manipulation.

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Sutrisno, L., Richards, G. J., Evans, J. D., Matsumoto, M., Li, X., Uto, K., Hill, J. P., Taki, M., Yamaguchi, S., Ariga, K.. 2025-06-01. Visualizing the Chronicle of Multiple Cell Fate using a Near-IR Dual-RNA/DNA-Targeting Probe. https://doi.org/10.1101/2025.05.29.655717

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