A phosphorescent iridium(III) solvent complex for multiplex assays of cell death

Cell death involves loss of transport function and physical integrity of the plasma membrane, and plays a critical role in many human diseases. At present, the development of an effective visualization tool to monitor cell death remains a significant challenge. Here, a cyclometalated iridium(III) solvent complex [Ir(pdz)2(H2O)2]+[OTf]− (IrC1) was designed and synthesized as a phosphorescent indicator of cell death. IrC1 specifically stained the nuclei of dead cells over living cells rapidly (<10 min) and at low concentrations (10 μM), as observed using confocal luminescence microscopy. Moreover, the IrC1 uptake behavior leads to its further application in quantifying the population of early apoptotic cells using flow cytometry. In particular, successful application in time-gated fluorescence microscopy by virtue of its microsecond lifetime rendered IrC1 attractive as a luminescent probe. IrC1 additionally exhibited excellent long-term photostability, in contrast to traditional dyes. We conclude that in combination with luminescent microscopy and flow cytometry, IrC1 provides an effective, straightforward alternative to cell death assays.