IP Library Granted Patent US 12,497,515
Granted Patent B2
US 12,497,515 · App. 18/419,897 · Granted Dec 16, 2025

Fluorogenic pH-sensitive compounds and their methods of use

Inventors: Yi-Zhen Hu (Eugene, OR); Aimei Chen (Eugene, OR); Daniel Beacham (Eugene, OR); Chrisgen Vonnegut (Springfield, OR); Krishnamurthy Nacharaju (Eugene, OR)
Assignee: Life Technologies Corporation
C09B11/24G01N21/6428G01N2021/6439
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,497,515
App. No.
18/419,897
Granted
Dec 16, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

The present disclosure provides for compounds of Formula (I), its corresponding compounds of Formula (II) or salts thereof and their use as fluorogenic pH sensors.

Claims (50)

1 . A compound chosen from a compound of Formula (I):

its corresponding compound of Formula (II)

wherein,

O—X—Y is chosen from:

R 1 , R 2 , R 3 , and R 4 are each independently chosen from H, alkyl, substituted alkyl, alkenyl, substituted alkenyl, alkynyl, substituted alkynyl, cyano, halo, hydroxy, nitro, sulfo, sulfonyl, sulfonyloxy, thioacyl, thiol, alkylthio, substituted alkylthio, acyl, aryl, substituted aryl, heteroaryl, substituted heteroaryl, cycloalkyl, substituted cycloalkyl, heterocyclyl, and substituted heterocyclyl; and

D is

wherein

R 5 , R 6 , R 7 and R 8 are each independently chosen from H and alkyl; and

R 9 , R 10 , R 11 and R 12 are each independently chosen from H, alkyl, sulfo and sulfonyl; or

R 8 is taken together with R 12 and the atoms to which they are attached to form an optionally substituted fused ring;

or R 9 is taken together with R 5 and the atoms to which they are attached to form an optionally substituted fused ring;

or R 10 is taken together with R 7 and the atoms to which they are attached to form an optionally substituted fused ring;

or R 11 is taken together with R 6 and the atoms to which they are attached to form an optionally substituted fused ring, and salts thereof.

2 . A compound according to claim 1 , wherein the compound of Formula (I) is chosen from

and salts thereof, wherein O—X—Y is as defined in claim 1 .

3 . A compound according to claim 1 , wherein the compound is chosen from

4 . A method for determining the pH of a sample, the method comprising:

(a) contacting the sample with a compound according to claim 1 to form a contacted sample;

(b) incubating the contacted sample to form an incubated sample;

(c) illuminating the contacted sample to form an illuminated sample; and

(d) detecting fluorescent emissions from the illuminated sample;

wherein the fluorescent emissions are used to determine the pH of the illuminated sample.

5 . The method according to claim 4 , wherein the sample is chosen from live cells, intracellular fluids, extracellular fluids, sera, biological fluids, biological fermentation media, environmental samples, industrial samples, viruses, proteins, peptides, buffer solutions, blood cells, immune cells, cultured cells, muscle tissue, neurons, extracellular vesicles, vascular tissue, blood fluids, saliva, urine, water, soil, waste water, sea water, pharmaceuticals, foodstuffs, and beverages.

6 . A composition comprising:

(a) a compound according to claim 1 ; and

(b) a biomolecule.

7 . A composition according to claim 6 , wherein the biomolecule is chosen from a cell, protein, antibody, antibody fragment, receptor, lipid, virus, virus-like particle, nucleic acid, and an aptamer.

8 . A kit comprising:

(a) a compound according to claim 1 ; and

(b) instructions for use.

9 . The kit according to claim 8 , further comprising at least one of the following:

a buffering agent, a purification medium, a vial comprising the sample, and an organic solvent.

10 . A method for detecting phagocytosis of a biomolecule in solution, the method comprising:

conjugating a compound according to claim 1 to a biomolecule to form a biomolecule-compound conjugate;

contacting the biomolecule-compound conjugate with a cell to form a contacted cell;

incubating the contacted cell for a time interval adequate to allow entry of the compound into the cell;

illuminating the contacted cell with an appropriate wavelength of light to form an illuminated cell; and

detecting fluorescent emissions from the illuminated cell;

wherein the fluorescent emissions indicate phagocytosis of the biomolecule.

11 . A method for monitoring internalization of a biomolecule, the method comprising:

conjugating a compound according to claim 1 to a biomolecule to form a biomolecule-compound conjugate;

contacting the biomolecule-compound conjugate with a cell to form a contacted cell;

incubating the contacted cell for a time interval adequate to allow entry of the compound into the cell;

illuminating the contacted cell with an appropriate wavelength of light to form an illuminated cell; and

detecting fluorescent emissions from the illuminated cell;

wherein the fluorescent emissions indicate internalization of the compound.

12 . The method according to claim 10 , wherein the biomolecule is chosen from an amino acid, a peptide, a protein, an antibody, an antibody fragment, an enzyme, a receptor, a monosaccharide, a polysaccharide, a carbohydrate, a lectin, an ion-complexing moiety, a nucleotide, an oligonucleotide, a nucleic acid, an aptamer, a hapten, a drug, a toxin, a lipid, a phospholipid, a lipoprotein, a glycoprotein, a hormone, a lipopolysaccharide, a liposome, a lipophilic polymer, a non-biological organic polymer, a polymeric microparticle, a bioparticle, an animal cell, a plant cell, a bacterium, a yeast, virus, and virus-like particle.

13 . The method according to claim 10 , wherein the detecting step is performed using flow cytometry, fluorescence microscopy or fluorometry.

14 . The method according to claim 11 , wherein the biomolecule is chosen from an amino acid, a peptide, a protein, an antibody, an antibody fragment, an enzyme, a receptor, a monosaccharide, a polysaccharide, a carbohydrate, a lectin, an ion-complexing moiety, a nucleotide, an oligonucleotide, a nucleic acid, an aptamer, a hapten, a drug, a toxin, a lipid, a phospholipid, a lipoprotein, a glycoprotein, a hormone, a lipopolysaccharide, a liposome, a lipophilic polymer, a non-biological organic polymer, a polymeric microparticle, a bioparticle, an animal cell, a plant cell, a bacterium, a yeast, virus, and virus-like particle.

15 . The method according to claim 11 , wherein the detecting step is performed using flow cytometry, fluorescence microscopy or fluorometry.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 23, 2024
From: HU, YI-ZHEN; CHEN, AIMEI; BEACHAM, DANIEL; VONNEGUT, CHRISGEN; NACHARAJU, KRISHNAMURTHY
To: LIFE TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 066213/0745 →
Continuity (3)
Continuation 17498377 · Oct 11, 2021
Provisional Application 63091156 · Oct 13, 2020
Related Publication 20240228785A1 · Jul 11, 2024
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