# A BODIPY-tagged trivalent glycocluster for receptor-targeting fluorescence imaging of live cells

## TL;DR

This paper introduces a fluorescent tool to study how a liver cancer cell receptor interacts with sugar-based molecules in real time.

## Contribution

A new fluorescent trivalent galactoside probe for super-resolution imaging of ASGPr dynamics in live cells.

## Key findings

- The BODIPY-tagged galactocluster effectively targets ASGPr-overexpressing liver cancer cells.
- The probe enables super-resolution imaging of ASGPr-mediated endocytosis and lysosomal translocation.
- The tool provides insights into the dynamic interactions of glycoclusters with cell receptors.

## Abstract

Multivalent glycoclusters have been extensively used as a targeting agent for drug delivery. However, tools capable of investigating their dynamic interactions with a target receptor remain elusive. Here, we synthesized fluorescently-tagged galactoclusters for the fluorescence imaging of cells that overly express the asialoglycoprotein receptor (ASGPr). A trivalent galactoside was synthesized, to which a boron dipyrromethene (BODIPY) dye was conjugated. The resulting fluorescent glycocluster was used for the targeted fluorescence imaging of liver cancer cells with a high ASGPr expression level. The trivalent probe was also demonstrated to be applicable for super-resolution imaging of ASGPr-mediated ligand endocytosis and the dynamic intracellular translocation to the lysosomes. As such, this study provides a suitable chemical tool for the study of receptor dynamics using fluorescently tagged glycoclusters.

We synthesized a trivalent galactosyl BODIPY probe for the super-resolution (STED) imaging of the dynamic endocytic action of asialoglycoprotein receptor (ASGPr).