A novel pillar[5]arene-based supramolecular fluorescent biomaterial for targeted accumulation and imaging of kidney

Imaging the kidney is necessary to evaluate its function and track the progression of renal diseases, but it remains difficult due to invasive damage, radiation, high cost, etc. Fluorescence imaging (FLI) has received increasing attention due to its benefits, and Pillar[n]arene has attracted widespread interest due to its rigid structure, facile synthesis, and ease of functionalisation, demonstrating great imaging potential. Therefore, a novel type of functionalised Pillar[5]arene (P5DMP) with 10 positive charges was designed and created. P5DMP is a potential fluorescent material due to its major advantages, including stability, water solubility, strong biocompatibility, and superior fluorescence qualities. Notably, the positive charge design of P5DMP allows it to collect in the negatively charged filtration barrier to achieve focused accumulation and imaging of the kidney. In fact, the in vivo experiments indicated that P5DMP accumulated preferentially in the kidney with the greatest distribution in the glomeruli. The findings of the present study indicated that P5DMP may achieve a targeted and precise image of the kidney and may provide a simple and universal method for the fabrication of an outstanding renal imaging agent with significant clinical application potential.