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Rationally designed azobenzene photoswitches for efficient two-photon neuronal excitation

Author

Listed:
  • Gisela Cabré

    (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB))

  • Aida Garrido-Charles

    (Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST))

  • Miquel Moreno

    (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB))

  • Miquel Bosch

    (Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST))

  • Montserrat Porta-de-la-Riva

    (The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST))

  • Michael Krieg

    (The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST))

  • Marta Gascón-Moya

    (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB))

  • Núria Camarero

    (Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST))

  • Ricard Gelabert

    (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB))

  • José M. Lluch

    (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB))

  • Félix Busqué

    (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB))

  • Jordi Hernando

    (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB))

  • Pau Gorostiza

    (Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST)
    Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats (ICREA)
    Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red en Bioingeniería, Biomateriales y Nanomedicina (CIBER-BBN))

  • Ramon Alibés

    (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB))

Abstract

Manipulation of neuronal activity using two-photon excitation of azobenzene photoswitches with near-infrared light has been recently demonstrated, but their practical use in neuronal tissue to photostimulate individual neurons with three-dimensional precision has been hampered by firstly, the low efficacy and reliability of NIR-induced azobenzene photoisomerization compared to one-photon excitation, and secondly, the short cis state lifetime of the two-photon responsive azo switches. Here we report the rational design based on theoretical calculations and the synthesis of azobenzene photoswitches endowed with both high two-photon absorption cross section and slow thermal back-isomerization. These compounds provide optimized and sustained two-photon neuronal stimulation both in light-scattering brain tissue and in Caenorhabditis elegans nematodes, displaying photoresponse intensities that are comparable to those achieved under one-photon excitation. This finding opens the way to use both genetically targeted and pharmacologically selective azobenzene photoswitches to dissect intact neuronal circuits in three dimensions.

Suggested Citation

  • Gisela Cabré & Aida Garrido-Charles & Miquel Moreno & Miquel Bosch & Montserrat Porta-de-la-Riva & Michael Krieg & Marta Gascón-Moya & Núria Camarero & Ricard Gelabert & José M. Lluch & Félix Busqué &, 2019. "Rationally designed azobenzene photoswitches for efficient two-photon neuronal excitation," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 10(1), pages 1-12, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:10:y:2019:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-019-08796-9
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-08796-9
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