Environment-responsive aza-BODIPY dyes quenching in water as potential probes to visualize the in vivo fate of lipid-based nanocarriers

Near-infrared fluorescent dyes (P2) encapsulated in solid lipid nanoparticles (SLN) quenched spontaneously upon contact with water after being released from SLNs. This class of water-quenching dyes could accurately report the in vivo fate of lipid-based nanocarriers through live imaging, whereas the conventional non-water-quenching dyes (DiR) provided false signals.160