TAMRA-conjugated DRL tripeptide for the visualization of synovium

The development of new cell-/organ-targeting peptides has been highlighted across various basic research fields and industries. In this work, a new synovium-homing tri-peptide, DRL, was developed through peptide screening and was functionalized to visualize the synovium via 5-carboxytetramethylrhodamine (TAMRA; TAM) conjugation. The TAMRA-conjugated DRL, named DRL-TAM, showed a bright red emission in cells and tissues with high biocompatibility (low cytotoxicity and biotoxicity). In the cell screening and in vivo fluorescence imaging studies, DRL-TAM demonstrated a remarkable visualization ability on the synovial-derived cells and synovial-related organs. DRL-TAM, as an advanced next generation of synovium-homing peptide, could open up new possibilities for the synovium-related disease diagnosis and treatment. [Display omitted] •A synovium-homing tri-peptide (DRL) and its TAMRA-conjugated formulation (DRL-TAM) are disclosed.•DRL-TAM showed selective synovium visualization in vitro and in vivo.•DRL-TAM displayed high biocompatibility.