Cysteine‐Mediated Intracellular Building of Luciferin to Enhance Probe Retention and Fluorescence Turn‐On

The development of sensitive and selective small molecular probes that enable real‐time detection of endogenous cysteine (Cys) has become an attractive topic because of the essential roles played by Cys in controlling the cellular nitrogen balance and in maintaining biological redox homeostasis. Herein, we report a Cys‐specific probe, 2‐cyanobenzothiazol‐6‐yl acrylate (CBTOA), that shows not only fluorescence turn‐on for sensitive detection of endogenous Cys but also enhanced probe retention inside cells for real‐time monitoring of Cys levels upon external stimulation. Cys‐mediated intracellular formation of luciferin from CBTOA was the key strategy leading to this new type of fluorogenic probe. CBTOA showed fast response to Cys in living cells and liver tissue slices with high sensitivity and selectivity. By using CBTOA as a real‐time probe, we were able to monitor the change in Cys levels in living HeLa cells under ROS‐induced oxidative stress as well as in human mesenchymal stem cells during adipogenic differentiation.     

功能性硫化镉纳米荧光探针荧光猝灭法测定核酸

报道了无机纳米溶胶CdS的合成，并对其进行了功能化修饰。研究了功能性CdS纳米溶胶的荧光性质。对小牛胸腺DNA进行了定量测定，考察了各种影响因素，在最佳实验条件下，该方法的线性区间0.1-1.5mg/L，检测限为0.018mg/L。与传统的有机染料相比，该方法简单、快速、灵敏度高。     

Color-Tunable Light-up Bioorthogonal Probes for In Vivo Two-Photon Fluorescence Imaging

Light-up bioorthogonal probes have attracted increasing attention recently due to their capability to directly image diverse biomolecules in living cells without washing steps. The development of bioorthogonal probes with excellent fluorescent properties suitable for in vivo imaging, such as long excitation/emission wavelength, high fluorescence turn-on ratio, and deep penetration, has been rarely reported. Herein, a series of azide-based light-up bioorthogonal probes with tunable colors based on a weak fluorescent 8-aminoquinoline ( AQ ) scaffold were designed and synthesized. The azido quinoline derivatives are able to induce large fluorescence enhancement (up to 1352-fold) after click reaction with alkynes. In addition, the probes could be engineered to exhibit excellent two-photon properties (δ=542 GM at 780 nm) after further introducing different styryl groups into the AQ scaffold. Subsequent detailed bioimaging experiments demonstrated that these versatile probes can be successfully used for live cell/zebrafish imaging without washing steps. Further in vivo two-photon imaging experiments demonstrated that these light-up biorthogonal probe outperformed conventional fluorophores, for example, high signal-to-noise ratio and deep tissue penetration. The design strategy reported in this study is a useful approach to realize diverse high-performance biorthogonal light-up probes for in vivo studying.     

Photoswitching Kinetics and Phase‐Sensitive Detection Add Discriminative Dimensions for Selective Fluorescence Imaging

Non‐invasive separation‐free protocols are attractive for analyzing complex mixtures. To increase selectivity, an analysis under kinetic control, through exploitation of the photochemical reactivity of labeling contrast agents, is described. The simple protocol is applied in optical fluorescence microscopy, where autofluorescence, light scattering, as well as spectral crowding presents limitations. Introduced herein is OPIOM (out‐of‐phase imaging after optical modulation), which exploits the rich kinetic signature of a photoswitching fluorescent probe to increase selectively and quantitatively its contrast. Filtering the specific contribution of the probe only requires phase‐sensitive detection upon matching the photoswitching dynamics of the probe and the intensity and frequency of a modulated monochromatic light excitation. After in vitro validation, we applied OPIOM for selective imaging in mammalian cells and zebrafish, thus opening attractive perspectives for multiplexed observations in biological samples.     

Construction of a Selective Fluorescent Probe for GSH Based on a Chloro‐Functionalized Coumarin‐enone Dye Platform

Glutathione (GSH), the most abundant intracellular biothiol, protects cellular components from damage caused by free radicals and reactive oxygen species (ROS), and plays a crucial role in human pathologies. A fluorescent probe that can selectively sense intracellular GSH would be very valuable for understanding of its biological functions and mechanisms of diseases. In this work, a 3,4‐dimethoxythiophenol‐substituted coumarin‐enone was exploited as a reaction‐type fluorescent probe for GSH based on a chloro‐functionalized coumarin‐enone platform. In the probe, the 3,4‐dimethoxythiophenol group functions not only as a fluorescence quencher through photoinduced electron transfer (PET) to ensure a low background fluorescence, but also as a reactive site for biothiols. The probe displays a dramatic fluorescence turn‐on response toward GSH with the long‐wavelength emission (600 nm) and significant Stokes shift (100 nm). The selectivity of the probe toward GSH over cysteine (Cys), homocysteine (Hcy), and other amino acids was demonstrated. Assisted by laser‐scanning confocal microscopy, we have demonstrated that the probe could specifically sense GSH over Cys/Hcy in human renal cell carcinoma SiHa cells.     

Water‐Soluble Triarylborane Chromophores for One‐ and Two‐Photon Excited Fluorescence Imaging of Mitochondria in Cells

Three water‐soluble tetracationic quadrupolar chromophores comprising two three‐coordinate boron π‐acceptor groups bridged by thiophene‐containing moieties were synthesised for biological imaging applications. Compound 3 containing the bulkier 5‐(3,5‐Me₂C₆H₂)‐2,2′‐(C₄H₂S)₂‐5′‐(3,5‐Me₂C₆H₂) bridge is stable over a long period of time, exhibits a high fluorescence quantum yield and strong one‐ and two‐photon absorption (TPA), and has a TPA cross section of 268 GM at 800 nm in water. Confocal laser scanning fluorescence microscopy studies in live cells indicated localisation of the chromophore at the mitochondria; moreover, cytotoxicity measurements proved biocompatibility. Thus, chromophore 3 has excellent potential for one‐ and two‐photon‐excited fluorescence imaging of mitochondrial function in cells.     

A Multi-responsive Fluorescent Probe Reveals Mitochondrial Nucleoprotein Dynamics with Reactive Oxygen Species Regulation through Super-resolution Imaging

Understanding the biomolecular interactions in a specific organelle has been a long-standing challenge because it requires super-resolution imaging to resolve the spatial locations and dynamic interactions of multiple biomacromolecules. Two key difficulties are the scarcity of suitable probes for super-resolution nanoscopy and the complications that arise from the use of multiple probes. Herein, we report a quinolinium derivative probe that is selectively enriched in mitochondria and switches on in three different fluorescence modes in response to hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂), proteins, and nucleic acids, enabling the visualization of mitochondrial nucleoprotein dynamics. STED nanoscopy reveals that the proteins localize at mitochondrial cristae and largely fuse with nucleic acids to form nucleoproteins, whereas increasing H₂O₂ level leads to disassociation of nucleic acid–protein complexes.     

A Three‐Photon Active Organic Fluorophore for Deep Tissue Ratiometric Imaging of Intracellular Divalent Zinc

Deep tissue bioimaging with three‐photon (3P) excitation using near‐infrared (NIR) light in the second IR window (1.0–1.4 μm) could provide high resolution images with an improved signal‐to‐noise ratio. Herein, we report a photostable and nontoxic 3P excitable donor‐π‐acceptor system (GMP) having 3P cross‐section (σ₃) of 1.78×10^?80 cm⁶ s² photon^?2 and action cross‐section (σ₃η₃) of 2.31×10^?81 cm⁶ s² photon^?2, which provides ratiometric fluorescence response with divalent zinc ions in aqueous conditions. The probe signals the Zn²⁺ binding at 530 and 600 nm, respectively, upon 1150 nm excitation with enhanced σ₃ of 1.85×10^?80 cm⁶ s² photon^?2 and σ₃η₃ of 3.33×10^?81 cm⁶ s² photon^?2. The application of this probe is demonstrated for ratiometric 3P imaging of Zn²⁺ in vitro using HuH‐7 cell lines. Furthermore, the Zn²⁺ concentration in rat hippocampal slices was imaged at 1150 nm excitation after incubation with GMP, illustrating its potential as a 3P ratiometric probe for deep tissue Zn²⁺ ion imaging.     

一种用于细胞核成像的新型双光子荧光探针

本文报道了具有大双光子活性吸收截面的DNA探针BMVEC, 同时首次利用双光子显微镜完成了与DAPI的复染实验, 实验结果证实了BMVEC对细胞核的选择性标记能力.     

A Peptide Nucleic Acid (PNA) Heteroduplex Probe Containing an Inosine–Cytosine Base Pair Discriminates a Single‐Nucleotide Difference in RNA

Selective discrimination of a single‐nucleotide difference in single‐stranded DNA or RNA remains a challenge with conventional DNA or RNA probes. A peptide nucleic acid (PNA)‐derived probe, in which PNA forms a pseudocomplementary heteroduplex with inosine‐containing DNA or RNA, effectively discriminates a single‐nucleotide difference in a closely related group of sequences of single‐stranded DNA and/or RNA. The pseudocomplementary PNA heteroduplex is easily converted to a fluorescent probe that distinctively detects a member of highly homologous let‐7 microRNAs.     

An Acid-Activatable Fluorescence Probe for Imaging Osteocytic Bone Resorption Activity in Deep Bone Cavities

A rationally designed pH-activatable fluorescent probe (pHocas-RIS) has been used to measure localised pH levels in osteocytic lacunae in bone tissue. Conjugation of the moderate bone-binding drug risedronate to a pH-activatable BODIPY fluorophore enables the probe to penetrate osteocytic lacunae cavities that are embedded deep within the bone matrix. After injection of pHocas-RIS, any osteocytic lacunae caused by bone-resorbing osteocytes cause the probe to fluoresce in vivo, thus allowing imaging by intravital two-photon excitation microscopy. This pH responsive probe enabled the visualization of the bone mineralizing activities of acid producing osteocytes in real time, thus allowing the study of their central role in remodeling the bone-matrix in healthy and disease states.     

Fluorescent Protein Capped Mesoporous Nanoparticles for Intracellular Drug Delivery and Imaging

A multifunctional system for intracellular drug delivery and simultaneous fluorescent imaging was constructed by using histidine‐tagged, cyan fluorescent protein (CFP)‐capped magnetic mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MMSNs). This protein‐capped multifunctional nanostructure is highly biocompatible and does not affect cell viability or proliferation. The CFP acts not only as a capping agent, but also as a fluorescent imaging agent. The nanoassembly was activated by histidine‐based replacement, leading to release of drug molecules encapsulated in the nanopores into the bulk solution. The fluorescent imaging functionality would allow noninvasive tracking of the nanoparticles in the body. By combining the drug delivery with cell‐imaging capability, these nanoparticles may provide valuable multifunctional nanoplatforms for biomedical applications.     

A Multi‐responsive Fluorescent Probe Reveals Mitochondrial Nucleoprotein Dynamics with Reactive Oxygen Species Regulation through Super‐resolution Imaging

Understanding the biomolecular interactions in a specific organelle has been a long‐standing challenge because it requires super‐resolution imaging to resolve the spatial locations and dynamic interactions of multiple biomacromolecules. Two key difficulties are the scarcity of suitable probes for super‐resolution nanoscopy and the complications that arise from the use of multiple probes. Herein, we report a quinolinium derivative probe that is selectively enriched in mitochondria and switches on in three different fluorescence modes in response to hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂), proteins, and nucleic acids, enabling the visualization of mitochondrial nucleoprotein dynamics. STED nanoscopy reveals that the proteins localize at mitochondrial cristae and largely fuse with nucleic acids to form nucleoproteins, whereas increasing H₂O₂ level leads to disassociation of nucleic acid–protein complexes.     

Module Assembly Strategy for Single-Cell Nucleic Acid Imaging at the Sub-Molecule Level

Single-cell imaging has unique advantages of maintaining the in situ physiological state, morphology, and microenvironment, becoming a powerful tool to unravel the nature of intracellular nucleic acids. The analysis of nucleic acids unprecedentedly demands the sub-molecule details at segment or subunit, secondary structure and monomer levels, instead of just probing the sequence and the abundance of nucleic acids. Detection of nucleic acids at the sub-molecule level requires higher specificity and higher sensitivity, which becomes a new challenge in nucleic acid analysis. Herein, we summarize the recent progress in the design and the application of single-cell nucleic acid imaging methods at the sub-molecule level, including the visualization of RNA splicing variants, RNA G-quadruplexes in an individual gene, single nucleotide variation of mitochondrial DNA, and RNA m⁶A methylation. Remarkably, we highlight the key strategy, “Module Assembly”, for high-performance molecular recognition and demonstrate the required improvements in future research.     

Development of a Photoactivatable Phosphine Probe for Induction of Intracellular Reductive Stress with Single‐Cell Precision

Photoactivatable phosphines that induce intracellular reductive stress are reported. The design of these probes takes advantage of the conjugate addition of trialkylphosphines to carbocyanine dyes, which can be reverted photochemically to produce the trialkylphosphine and a fluorescent reporter. The photochemical release depends on the efficiency of photoinduced electron transfer from the indolenine arm of the probe to the coumarin acceptor. These probes readily permeate the mammalian plasma membrane and can be photoactivated in live cells. Upon irradiation of the probe, the released trialkylphosphine induces intracellular reductive stress, which ultimately leads to formation of thioflavin‐positive intracellular protein aggregates. These effects could be induced in individual cells within a monolayer, with minimal disturbance of neighboring cells.     

Rational Design of Fluorescent Phthalazinone Derivatives for One‐ and Two‐Photon Imaging

Phthalazinone derivatives were designed as optical probes for one‐ and two‐photon fluorescence microscopy imaging. The design strategy involves stepwise extension and modification of pyridazinone by 1) expansion of pyridazinone to phthalazinone, a larger conjugated system, as the electron acceptor, 2) coupling of electron‐donating aromatic groups such as N,N‐diethylaminophenyl, thienyl, naphthyl, and quinolyl to the phthalazinone, and 3) anchoring of an alkyl chain to the phthalazinone with various terminal substituents such as triphenylphosphonio, morpholino, triethylammonio, N‐methylimidazolio, pyrrolidino, and piperidino. Theoretical calculations were utilized to verify the initial design. The desired fluorescent probes were synthesized by two different routes in considerable yields. Twenty‐two phthalazinone derivatives were synthesized and their photophysical properties were measured. Selected compounds were applied in cell imaging, and valuable information was obtained. Furthermore, the designed compounds showed excellent performance in two‐photon microscopic imaging of mouse brain slices.     

基于香豆素-肟的次氯酸根探针的设计、合成及荧光成像应用

通过将香豆素的2-位内酯转化为肟基,设计、合成了一种用于基于香豆素-肟类的次氯酸根荧光探针Cou-HC.Cou-HC不仅对次氯酸根表现出快速和高选择性响应的特点,而且探针氧化后的产物不会与生物硫醇等发生反应,从而可以避免生物硫醇对于次氯酸根响应的干扰.细胞成像实验结果表明,探针可以对RAW 264.7细胞中内源性和外源...     

Ubiquinone‐Rhodol (UQ‐Rh) for Fluorescence Imaging of NAD(P)H through Intracellular Activation

The nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) derivatives NADH and NADPH are critical components of cellular energy metabolism and operate as electron carriers. A novel fluorescent ubiquinone‐rhodol derivative (UQ‐Rh) was developed as a probe for NAD(P)H. By using the artificial promoter [(η⁵‐C₅Me₅)Ir(phen)(H₂O)]²⁺, intracellular activation and imaging of NAD(P)H were successfully demonstrated. In contrast to bioorthogonal chemistry, this “bioparallel chemistry” approach involves interactions with native biological processes and could potentially be used to control or investigate cellular systems.     

New Dual Fluorescent Probe for Simultaneous Biothiol and Phosphate Bioimaging

The simultaneous detection of relevant metabolites in living organisms by using one molecule introduces an approach to understanding the relationships between these metabolites in healthy and deregulated cells. Fluorescent probes of low toxicity are remarkable tools for this type of analysis of biological systems in vivo. As a proof of concept, different naturally occurring compounds, such as biothiols and phosphate anions, were the focus for this work. The 2,4‐dinitrobenzenesulfinate (DNBS) derivative of 9‐[1‐(4‐tert‐butyl‐2‐methoxyphenyl)]‐6‐hydroxy‐3H‐xanthen‐3‐one (Granada Green; GG) were designed and synthesized. This new sulfinyl xanthene derivative can act as a dual sensor for the aforementioned analytes simultaneously. The mechanism of action of this derivative implies thiolysis of the sulfinyl group of the weakly fluorescent DNBS‐GG by biological thiols at near‐neutral pH values, thus releasing the fluorescent GG moiety, which simultaneously responds to phosphate anions through its fluorescence‐decay time. The new dual probe was tested in solution by using steady‐state and time‐resolved fluorescence and intracellularly by using fluorescence‐lifetime imaging microscopy (FLIM) in human epithelioid cervix carcinoma (HeLa) cells.