Mitochondria represent an attractive subcellular target due to its function particularly important for oxidative damage,
calcium metabolism and apoptosis. However, the concept of mitochondrial targeting has been a neglected area so far. The translocator
protein (TSPO) represents an interesting subcellular target not only to image disease states overexpressing this
protein, but also for a selective mitochondrial drug targeting. Recently, we have delivered in vitro and in vivo small molecule imaging agents into cells overexpressing TSPO by using a family of high-affinity conjugable
ligands characterized by 2-phenyl-imidazo[1,2-a]
pyridine acetamide structure. As an extension, in the present work we studied the possibility to target and image TSPO with
dendrimers. These nano-platforms have unique features, in fact, are prepared with a level of control not reachable with most linear
polymers, leading to nearly monodisperse, globular macromolecules with a large number of peripheral groups. As a consequence, they are an ideal delivery vehicle candidate for explicit study of the effects of
polymer size, charge, composition, and architecture on biologically relevant properties such as
lipid bilayer interactions, cytotoxicity, cellular internalization, and subcellular compartments and organelles interactions. Here, we present the synthesis, characterization, cellular internalization, and mitochondria labeling of a TSPO targeted fourth generation [G(4)-
PAMAM] dendrimer nanoparticle labeled with the organic
fluorescent dye fluorescein. We comprehensively studied the cellular uptake behavior of these
dendrimers, into
glioma C6 cell line, under the influence of various endocytosis inhibitors. We found that TSPO targeted-G(4)-PAMAM-FITC
dendrimer is quickly taken up by these cells by endocytosis pathways, and moreover specifically targets the mitochondria as evidenced from subcellular fractionation experiments and co-localization studies performed with CAT (Confocal-AFM-TIRF) microscopy.