Fluorescent detection of zinc in biological systems: recent development on the design of chemosensors and biosensors

Double discrimination by binding and reactivity in fluorescent metal ion detection

Metal ion detection using a fluorescent dye containing reactive ester groups allows discrimination on the basis of the hydrolytic reactivities of metal ions, which display the same qualitative fluorescence response on binding only.

The Zinspy Family of Fluorescent Zinc Sensors: Syntheses and Spectroscopic Investigations

Four fluorescent sensors designed for Zn(II) detection that contain a fluorescein reporting group and a pyridyl-amine-thioether derivatized ligand moiety were prepared and their photophysical properties characterized. These "Zinspy" sensors are water soluble and generally display approximately 1.4- to approximately 4.5-fold fluorescence enhancement upon Zn(II) coordination, depending upon fluorescein halogenation and the number and nature of the zinc-binding appendages. The Zinspy sensors exhibit improved selectivity for zinc compared to the di-(2-picolyl)amine-based Zinpyr family.

Dinuclear Zinc(II) Complexes of Tetraiminodiphenol Macrocycles and Their Interactions with Carboxylate Anions and Amino Acids. Photoluminescence, Equilibria, and Structure

The reaction equilibria [H(4)L](2+) + Zn(OAc)(2) right harpoon over left harpoon [Zn(H(2)L)](2+) + 2HOAc (K(1)) and [Zn(H(2)L)](2+) + Zn(OAc)(2) right harpoon over left harpoon [Zn(2)L](2+) + 2HOAc (K(2)), involving zinc acetate and the perchlorate salts of the tetraiminodiphenol macrocycles [H(4)L(1)(-)(3)](ClO(4))(2), the lateral (CH(2))(n)() chains of which vary between n = 2 and n = 4, have been studied by spectrophotometric and spectrofluorimetric titrations in acetonitrile. The photoluminescence behavior of the complexes [Zn(2)L(1)](ClO(4))(2), [Zn(2)L(2)(H(2)O)(2)](ClO(4))(2), [Zn(2)L(2)(mu-O(2)CR)](ClO(4)) (R = CH(3), C(6)H(5), p-CH(3)C(6)H(4), p-OCH(3)C(6)H(4), p-ClC(6)H(4), p-NO(2)C(6)H(4)), and [Zn(2)L(3)(mu-OAc)](ClO(4)) have been investigated. The X-ray crystal structures of the complexes [Zn(2)L(2)(H(2)O)(2)](ClO(4))(2), [Zn(2)L(3)(mu-OAc)](ClO(4)), and [Zn(2)L(2)(mu-OBz)(OBz)(H(3)O)](ClO(4)) have been determined. The complex [Zn(2)L(2)(mu-OBz)(OBz)(H(3)O)](ClO(4)) in which the coordinated water molecule is present as the hydronium ion (H(3)O(+)) on deprotonation gives rise to the neutral dibenzoate-bridged compound [Zn(2)L(2)(mu-OBz)(2)].H(2)O. The equilibrium constants (K) for the reaction [Zn(2)L(2)(H(2)O)(2)](2+) + A(-) right harpoon over left harpoon [Zn(2)L(2)A](+) + 2H(2)O (K), where A(-) = acetate, benzoate, or the carboxylate moiety of the amino acids glycine, l-alanine, l-histidine, l-valine, and l-proline, have been determined spectrofluorimetrically in aqueous solution (pH 6-7) at room temperature. The binding constants (K) evaluated for these systems vary in the range (1-8) x 10(5).

An Yttrium Ion-Selective Fluorescence Sensor Based on Metal Ion-Controlled Photoinduced Electron Transfer in Zinc Porphyrin−Quinone Dyad

A highly Y3+-selective fluorescence sensor has been developed using zinc porphyrin-CONH-quinone dyad (ZnP-CONH-Q). The selective binding of the Q moiety of ZnP-CONH-Q with Y3+ retards electron transfer from the singlet excited state (1ZnP*) to Q, leading to a remarkable enhancement of the fluorescence intensity.

ZP8, a Neuronal Zinc Sensor with Improved Dynamic Range; Imaging Zinc in Hippocampal Slices with Two-Photon Microscopy

The synthesis of a difluorofluorescein monocarboxaldehyde platform and its use for preparing ZP8, a new member of the Zinpyr family of neuronal Zn(2+) sensors, are described. By combining an aniline photoinduced electron transfer (PET) switch and an electron-withdrawing fluorescein scaffold, ZP8 displays reduced background fluorescence and improved dynamic range compared to previous ZP probes. The bright sensor undergoes an 11-fold increase in fluorescence intensity upon Zn(2+) complexation (Phi = 0.03-0.35) with high selectivity over cellular concentrations of Ca(2+) and Mg(2+). In addition, sensors in the ZP family have been utilized for optical imaging in biological samples using two-photon microscopy (TPM). The cell-permeable ZP3 probe is capable of identifying natural pools of labile Zn(2+) within the mossy fiber synapses of live hippocampal slices using TPM, establishing the application of this technique for monitoring endogenous Zn(2+) stores.

Development of a Zinc Ion-Selective Luminescent Lanthanide Chemosensor for Biological Applications

Detection of chelatable zinc (Zn(2+)) in biological studies has attracted much attention recently, because chelatable Zn(2+) plays important roles in many biological systems. Lanthanide complexes (Eu(3+), Tb(3+), etc.) have excellent spectroscopic properties for biological applications, such as long luminescence lifetimes of the order of milliseconds, a large Stoke's shift of >200 nm, and high water solubility. Herein, we present the design and synthesis of a novel lanthanide sensor molecule, [Eu-7], for detecting Zn(2+). This europium (Eu(3+)) complex employs a quinolyl ligand as both a chromophore and an acceptor for Zn(2+). Upon addition of Zn(2+) to a solution of [Eu-7], the luminescence of Eu(3+) is strongly enhanced, with high selectivity for Zn(2+) over other biologically relevant metal cations. One of the important advantages of [Eu-7] is that this complex can be excited with longer excitation wavelengths (around 340 nm) as compared with previously reported Zn(2+)-sensitive luminescent lamthanide sensors, whose excitation wavelength is at too high an energy level for biological applications. The usefulness of [Eu-7] for monitoring Zn(2+) changes in living HeLa cells was confirmed. This novel Zn(2+)-selective luminescent lanthanide chemosensor [Eu-7]should be an excellent lead compound for the development of a range of novel luminescent lanthanide chemosensors for biological applications.

Zinc-Induced Switching of the Nonlinear Optical Properties of a Functionalized Bis(styryl)benzene

A large variation of the nonlinear transmission properties of a cyclen-based bis(styryl)benzene can be induced by a small change of the linear absorption spectrum upon Zn2+ binding. This result has been interpreted in the frame of a sequential two-photon process in which one photon is absorbed from the ground state and one photon is absorbed from an excited state.

Recent Advances in Luminescent Monomeric, Multinuclear, and Polymeric Zn(II) and Cd(II) Coordination Complexes

‘Luminescence research has a long history full of splendor and surprise, and a bright future, promising variegated applications to probe molecules and crystals, to visualize atomic phenomena, …’ H. J. Queisser, 1981 This article briefly summarizes recent progress on the luminescence studies of monomeric, multinuclear, and polymeric Zn(ii)/Cd(ii) coordination complexes, involving spectroscopic, photophysical, and photochemical studies, as well as molecular and electronic structural investigations, focussing mainly on the interplaying factors that govern the luminescent origin of the lowest-lying emissive states. Current results show that, for Zn(ii)/Cd(ii) coordination complexes in general, the nature of the metal centres and ligands and the rigid metal-oxy (or -hydroxy) clusters are factors governing their luminescent origin of the lowest-lying emissive states; different types of ligands and coordination structures may result in different emission mechanisms.