Smart phone assisted quinoline-hemicyanine based fluorescent probe for the selective detection of glutathione and the application in living cells

Designing a Simple Quinoline-Based Chromo-Fluorogenic Receptor for Highly Specific Quantification of Copper (II) Ions: Environmental and Bioimaging Applications

Many industries use copper metal ions (Cu2+ ions), and their salts are utilized as supplemental materials in both agriculture and medicine. Identifying and monitoring these Cu2+ ions in biological and environmental specimens is crucial due to their association with several health issues. In this investigation, we have designed a simple quinoline-based receptor (E)-3-(((2,4-di-tert-butyl-5-hydroxyphenyl)imino)methyl)-6-methoxyquinolin-2(1H)-one (QAP) containing imine functional groups to inspect its capability to identify metal ions in a semi-aqueous medium. The photophysical characteristics and structural confirmation of the receptor QAP were investigated using various spectroscopic techniques. Among various metal ions, the receptor QAP displayed an intense color shift from slightly yellow to strong yellow in the existence of Cu2+ ions, as visualized by the nude eye. Furthermore, the fluorescence spectral maximum wavelength at 485 nm and the strong cyan fluorescence color were quenched upon introducing Cu2+ ions. The alteration in the spectral and colorimetric features of QAP with Cu2+ ions is due to coordination complex formation. The present sensor shows the linear range from 3 to 69 μM, subsequent in a computed limit of detection as 3.16 nM, which is much lower than that of the maximum threshold of Cu2+ ions in drinking water set by WHO. Therefore, the receptor can respond to Cu2+ ions sensing in two ways: by changing color and by quenching fluorescence. The binding mode of the Cu2+ ions to the functional groups of the receptor QAP is a 1:1 stoichiometry, according to ESI-mass, Job's plot analysis, and density functional theory (DFT) computations. The practical utility of the fluorescent receptor QAP was applied for Cu2+ ions determination in environmental samples (drinking, tap, and dam water) and cancer cells (HeLa cells).

Research Progress of Fluorescent Probes for Detection of Glutathione (GSH): Fluorophore, Photophysical Properties, Biological Applications

Intracellular biothiols, including cysteine (Cys), glutathione (GSH), and homocysteine (Hcy), play a critical role in many physiological and pathological processes. Among them, GSH is the most abundant non-protein mercaptan (1-10 mM) in cells, and the change in GSH concentration level is closely related to the occurrence of many diseases, such as Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, and neurological diseases. Fluorescent probes have attracted much attention due to their advantages of high specificity, high sensitivity, high selectivity, low cost, and high quantum yield. Methods that use optical probes for selective detection of GSH in vitro and in vivo are in high demand. In this paper, we reviewed the most recent five years of research on fluorescence probes for the detection of GSH, including the specific detection of GSH, dual-channel identification of GSH and other substances, and the detection of GSH and other biothiols. According to the type of fluorophore, we classified GSH fluorescent probes into eight classes, including BODIPY, 1,8-Naphthalimide, coumarin, xanthene, rhodamine, cyanine, benzothiazoles, and others. In addition, we roundly discuss the synthesis, detection mechanism, photophysical properties, and biological applications of fluorescent probes. We hope that this review will inspire the exploration of new fluorescent probes for GSH and other related analyses.

A lipid droplet-targeting fluorescent probe for specific H2S imaging in biosamples and development of smartphone platform

Hydrogen sulfide (H2S), a significant gas signal molecule, is closely related to various physiological/pathological processes. The monitoring of H2S is crucial in understanding the occurrence and development of diseases such as cancers. Emerging evidence suggests that abnormal regulation of Lipid droplets (LDs) is associated with many human diseases. For example, cancer cells are characterized by the abnormal accumulation of LDs. Therefore, understanding the relationship between LDs and cancer is of great significance for developing therapies against cancer. To address this challenge, we designed and developed a LD-targeting and H2S-activated probe (BTDA-DNB) by engineering a 2,4-dinitrophenyl ether (DNBE) as the H2S reactive site. In the presence of H2S, a strongly fluorescent emitter, 3-(benzo[d]thiazol-2-yl)-N,N-diethyl-2-imino-2H-chromen-7-amine (BTDA) was obtained with the leaving of DNBE group. BTDA-DNB displayed favorable sensitivity, selectivity and functioning well at physiological pH. The probe features excellent LD-targeting specificity and low cellular toxicity. The practical applications of LD-targeting probe BTDA-DNB as H2S probe in living cells, cancer tissues and Arabidopsis seedling have been evaluated. The excellent imaging performance demonstrates a potential ability for cancer diagnosis. Benefitted from the excellent performance on visual recognition H2S, a robust smartphone-integrated platform for H2S analysis was also successfully established.

A novel fluorescence probe for the recognition of Cd2+ and its application

A facile fluorescence probe BQBH was synthesized and investigated on its spectrum property. The result showed that the BQBH had high sensitivity and selectivity for Cd²⁺ with lowest detection determined as 0.14 μM by fluorescence response. The 1: 1 binding ratio between BQBH and Cd²⁺ was determined by Job's plot, and the binding details were further confirmed by ¹H NMR titration, FT-IR spectrum and HRMS analysis. The applications including on test paper, smart phone and cell image were all also investigated.

Sensitive fluorescence assay for the detection of glyphosate with NACCu2+ complex

Glyphosate is widely used as an herbicide in weed control. However, the excessive use and residue of glyphosate adversely affect the environment. Thus, a rapid and highly sensitive system must be developed for glyphosate detection. Herein, a novel turn-on fluorescent probe was designed and synthesized for glyphosate, that is N-butyl-1,8-naphthalimide-4-hydrazino-6-isopropyl-chromone (NAC). The fluorescence of NAC was quenched by the addition of Cu²⁺ to form NACCu²⁺ complex in dimethyl sulfoxide/2-[4-(2-hydroxyethyl)piperazin-1-yl]ethanesulfonic acid (DMSO/HEPES, 9/1, v/v, pH = 7.0). Upon the addition of glyphosate, the fluorescence of NACCu²⁺ was recovered through chelation between Cu²⁺ and glyphosate. The NACCu²⁺ complex exhibited the desired linearity of glyphosate concentration under optimum conditions in the range of 0-40 μM with a low detection limit of 36 nM. Based on competitive coordination, NACCu²⁺ exhibited good sensitivity and selectivity for glyphosate. Moreover, NAC was successfully utilized to detect glyphosate in tap water, local water from Songhua River, soil, maize, and soybean with convenient operations, indicating a promising application in pesticide residue detection.

Cysteamine-decorated gold nanoparticles for plasmon-based colorimetric on-site sensors for detecting cyanide ions using the smart-phone color ratio and for catalytic reduction of 4-nitrophenol

In this paper, we have reported the cyanide ions (CN^-) sensing in environmental water samples using cysteamine-capped gold nanoparticles (Cyst-AuNPs) by spectrophotometric, colorimetric, and smartphone-based RGB color detection. The surface plasmon resonance shift at around 525 nm for the Cyst-AuNPs could be used to detect quantitatively the amounts of CN^- with concomitant alteration of their color from wine red to purple visualized by the naked eye. For the first time, the Cyst-AuNPs-based visual sensing of CN^- was performed using smartphone-based detection with its detection limit of 159 × 10^-9 M, ten times lower than that of the highest tolerance level (2 × 10^-6 M) permitted by the world health organization. The Cyst-AuNPs displayed excellent specificity for detecting the concentration of 30 × 10^-6 M even amid the presence of other interfering inorganic anions with their concentrations about five times higher than it. Environmental real water samples were used to arrange the three different CN^- concentrations for plasmon-based colorimetric detection and smartphone-based method. Additionally, the catalytic performance of Cyst-AuNPs was demonstrated for the fast catalytic conversion of hazardous 4-nitrophenol (selected environmental contaminant) to the analogous amino aromatic compounds. A chemical kinetic study showed the conversion rate to be estimated as 1.65 × 10^-2 s^-1. Cyst-AuNPs can find an application in colorimetric sensing of CN^- while being able to be utilized as a catalytic nanomaterial for ecological remedies associated with health care.

Optical Sensing of Toxic Cyanide Anions Using Noble Metal Nanomaterials

Water toxicity, one of the major concerns for ecosystems and the health of humanity, is usually attributed to inorganic anions-induced contamination. Particularly, cyanide ions are considered one of the most harmful elements required to be monitored in water. The need for cyanide sensing and monitoring has tempted the development of sensing technologies without highly sophisticated instruments or highly skilled operations for the objective of in-situ monitoring. Recent decades have witnessed the growth of noble metal nanomaterials-based sensors for detecting cyanide ions quantitatively as nanoscience and nanotechnologies advance to allow nanoscale-inherent physicochemical properties to be exploited for sensing performance. Particularly, noble metal nanostructure e-based optical sensors have permitted cyanide ions of nanomolar levels, or even lower, to be detectable. This capability lends itself to analytical application in the quantitative detection of harmful elements in environmental water samples. This review covers the noble metal nanomaterials-based sensors for cyanide ions detection developed in a variety of approaches, such as those based on colorimetry, fluorescence, Rayleigh scattering (RS), and surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS). Additionally, major challenges associated with these nano-platforms are also addressed, while future perspectives are given with directions towards resolving these issues.

New Fluorescent Probes for the Sensitive Determination of Glyphosate in Food and Environmental Samples

In this paper, a dual-functional probe, 2-(benzothiazol)-4-(3-hydroxy-4-methylphenyl) imino phenol (BHMH), was synthesized and characterized for the simultaneous detection of Cu2+ and Fe3+ in dimethyl sulfoxide/4-(2-hydroxyethyl)-1-piperazineethanesulfonic acid (DMSO/HEPES) (1:4, v/v, pH = 6.0). The limits of detections (LODs) for Cu2+ and Fe3+ were 9.05 and 48 nM, respectively. Based on the competitive coordination, the complex BHMH-Cu2+/Fe3+ exhibited good sensitivity and selectivity for glyphosate. The LODs of BHMH-Cu2+ and BHMH-Fe3+ for glyphosate were 0.41 and 0.63 μM, respectively. The probe quantitatively detected glyphosate in tap water, Songhua River water, local water and soil, and food samples. The colorimetric on-site glyphosate sensing through the probe BHMH-Cu2+ was also studied based on smartphones. BHMH and BHMH-Cu2+/Fe3+ exhibited outstanding imaging capabilities for Cu2+, Fe3+, and glyphosate in living cells with low cytotoxicity, especially the first time for glyphosate.

Ratiometric fluorescence and smartphone dual-mode detection of glutathione using carbon dots coupled with Ag+-triggered oxidation of o-phenylenediamine

Developing ratiometric fluorescence and smartphone dual-mode bioanalysis methods is important but challenging. A ratiometric fluorescence method for determining glutathione (GSH) using carbon dots (CDs) and Ag⁺-triggered o-phenylenediamine (OPD) oxidation is described here. Ag⁺oxidizes OPD to give 2,3-diaminophenazine (oxOPD), which effectively quenches CD fluorescence at 436 nm through the inner filter effect and causes a new emission peak at 561 nm. GSH chelates with Ag⁺and prevents the Ag⁺oxidizing OPD and therefore effectively preserves CD emission at 436 nm (blue) and allows only weak oxOPD fluorescence at 561 nm (orange) to occur. The oxOPD to CD fluorescence intensity ratio decreased linearly as the GSH concentration increased in the range 0-150 nM, and the detection limit was 15 nM. The ratiometric fluorescence probe lit with an ultraviolet lamp clearly changed color from orange to blue as the GSH concentration increased. An image was acquired using a smartphone camera and converted into digital values. The blue and red channel ratio was calculated and used to quantify GSH. The method therefore allows dual-mode detection of GSH.

A near-infrared fluorescent probe with large Stokes shift for imaging Cys in tumor mice

Cysteine (Cys), a kind of small molecule biological thiol, not only involves in the regulation of physiological processes, but also is considered a marker of tumor. However, it is challenging to develop suitable probe for detecting Cys in tumors. In this paper, a near-infrared (NIR) fluorescent probe named IX for Cys has been designed and synthesized. The probe shows a NIR emission peak at 770 nm with large Stokes shift (180 nm) upon adding Cys. It displays high sensitivity to Cys with 6-fold increase of fluorescence intensity. Meanwhile, IX has the high selectivity to Cys over other potential interference such as Hcy and GSH, which have similar structure with Cys. In addition, a possible mechanism of fluorescence enhancement is the reaction of IX with Cys to release IX-OH, which is verified by fluorescence spectra, MS and HPLC. Next, IX can selectively image Cys in HCT-116 cells thanks to the low cytotoxicity. Most important of all, the fluorescent probe IX has visualized Cys in HCT116-xenograft tumor mice due to the near-infrared properties with large Stokes shift.

A modular template for the design of thiol-triggered sensors and prodrugs

A unique reaction between thiols (RSH) and alkyl sulfonylbenzothiazole was discovered. This reaction was specific for thiols and produced a sulfinic acid (RSO₂H) as the intermediate, which further triggered an intramolecular cyclization to release a -OH containing payload. This reaction was used to develop thiol-triggered fluorescent sensors and prodrugs. The modular design of this template provides tunability of the release profiles of the payloads.