Ahmedabad: As Diwali celebrates light and new beginnings, researchers at IIT Gandhinagar (IIT-Gn) have brought illumination to the microscopic world by developing a set of fluorescent molecules that can track fat-storage structures inside human cells and identify specific bacteria. Experts said the distinct glow produced by the molecules under a microscope could support future clinical and biological research.The study, titled ‘α-Cyanostilbene fluorophores as versatile dual-function imaging agents: from imaging lipid droplet dynamics in live cells to selective Gram-positive bacterial detection’, was conducted by Gayatri Bhattad, Deeksha Rajput, Achintya Jana, Abhijit Mishra and Sriram Kanvah, and has been published in the journal Organic and Biomolecular Chemistry.According to the researchers, the study examined three molecules based on a compound called cyanostilbene. The molecules contain different chemical groups and exhibit a property known as aggregation-induced emission (AIE). Unlike conventional fluorescent dyes, which tend to lose brightness when they accumulate, these molecules become brighter when clustered together.The researchers found that the molecules selectively attach to lipid droplets, structures that store fats inside cells, and play a crucial role in energy storage and metabolism. Changes in lipid droplets are often associated with conditions such as fatty liver disease, diabetes, and cancer.One molecule, P3, showed particularly promising results. It produced stronger fluorescence and remained attached to lipid droplets for more than six hours. Researchers said the probe could be used to study changes in lipid droplets linked to inflammation and cellular stress.The molecules also demonstrated potential for bacterial imaging. Two of them selectively stained Gram-positive bacteria, including Staphylococcus aureus, while showing minimal fluorescence in Gram-negative bacteria. Researchers believe differences in bacterial cell-envelope structures influence how the molecules enter bacterial cells.The findings highlight the potential of these fluorescent probes as versatile tools for biological research, enabling scientists to study both lipid-droplet dynamics in living cells and differences among bacterial groups using a single imaging platform.
