A highly sensitive endoplasmic reticulum-targeting fluorescent probe for the imaging of endogenous H2S in live cells

• Published in: Spectrochimica acta. Part A, Molecular and biomolecular spectroscopy Vol. 240; p. 118578
• Main Authors: Zhou, Lei, Cheng, Zhi-Qiang, Li, Ning, Ge, Yong-Xi, Xie, Hong-Xu, Zhu, Kongkai, Zhou, Aiqin, Zhang, Juan, Wang, Kai-Ming, Jiang, Cheng-Shi
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 15.10.2020
• Subjects: Endoplasmic reticulum; Fluorescein; Fluorescent probe; Hydrogen sulfide; Xanthene; Hydrogen sulfide; Endoplasmic reticulum; Fluorescent probe; Fluorescein; Xanthene
• ISSN: 1386-1425
• DOI: 10.1016/j.saa.2020.118578

Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) as an important signaling biomolecule participates in a series of complex physiological and pathological processes. In situ and rapid detection of H2S levels in endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is of great importance for the in-depth study of its virtual functional roles. However, the ER-targeting fluorescent probe for the detection of H2S in live cells is still quite rare. Herein, a new ER-targeting fluorescent probe (FER-H2S) for detecting H2S in live cells was characterized in the present study. This probe FER-H2S was built from the hybridization of three parts, including fluorescein-based skeleton, p-toluenesulfonamide as ER-specific group, and 2,4-nitrobenzene sulfonate as a response site for H2S. The response mechanism of the probe FER-H2S to H2S is on the basis of the ring-opening and ring-closing processes in fluorescein moiety. Moreover, the probe FER-H2S was successfully used for the imaging of exogenous and endogenous H2S in ER of live cells. [Display omitted] •A novel ER-targeting fluorescent probe (FER-H2S) for H2S was designed.•The probe FER-H2S showed high sensitive and selective response to H2S.•The probe FER-H2S can be applied for the imaging of endogenous H2S in live cells.