Using Fluorescent Post‐Labeling To Probe the Subcellular Localization of DNA‐Targeted Platinum Anticancer Agents

Green around the cells: A post-labeling method was developed to image a DNA-targeted platinum drug in cancer cells by confocal fluorescence microscopy. This was done using ligation chemistry between an azide-functionalized platinum-acridine anticancer drug and an alkyne-modified dye, Alexa Fluor 488 (green star, see figure). The platinum-acridine agent was shown to accumulate in the nucleoli of cancer cells (NCI-H460).