On-off-on fluorescence detection for biomolecules by a fluorescent cage through host-guest complexation in water

• Published in: Chinese chemical letters Vol. 33; no. 5; pp. 2459 - 2463
• Main Authors: Duan, Honghong, Cao, Fan, Zhang, Minjie, Gao, Meng, Cao, Liping
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 01.05.2022; College of Chemistry and Materials Science,Northwest University,Xi'an 710069,China%National Engineering Research Center for Tissue Restoration and Reconstruction,Key Laboratory of Biomedical Engineering of Guangdong Province,Key Laboratory of Biomedical Materials and Engineering of the Ministry of Education,Innovation Center for Tissue Restoration and Reconstruction,South China University of Technology,Guangzhou 510006,China
• Subjects: Cell imaging; Fluorescence; Host-guest complexation; Nucleoside derivatives; Tetraphenylethene-based octacationic cage; Fluorescence; Nucleoside derivatives; Host-guest complexation; Tetraphenylethene-based octacationic cage; Cell imaging
• ISSN: 1001-8417; 1878-5964
• DOI: 10.1016/j.cclet.2021.11.010

Detection of nucleoside derivatives has paramount importance because they are the essential biomolecular units for all life. Herein, we report a host-guest approach by using a fluorescent tetraphenylethene-based octacationic cage as host and 8-hydroxypyrene-1,3,6-trisulfonic acid trisodium salt (HPTS) as guest and fluorescent indicator to form non-fluorescent 1:1:1 host-(endo-exo)guest complex in water. This new host-(endo-exo)guest complex can be successfully used for detecting nucleosides (e.g., ATP and GTP), DNA (e.g., sm-DNA), and antibiotics (e.g., Penicillin G) with off-on fluorescence response via a competitive host-guest exchange with HPTS as exo-guest in water. Furthermore, this on-off-on fluorescent host-guest complex is also used for cell imaging based on ATP concentration in HeLa cells. Therefore, this study not only provides insight into the construction of a supramolecular probe with on-off-on fluorescence via host-guest complexation and exchange in solution, but also realizes a universal method for detecting and monitoring biomolecules. [Display omitted] Fluorescent tetraphenylethene-based octacationic cage can form 1:1:1 host-(endo-exo)guest complex with two 8-hydroxypyrene-1,3,6-trisulfonic acid molecules in the hydrophobic cavity and on the positive-charged surface via π-π, hydrophobic, and electrostatic interactions in water, resulting in an on-off fluorescence process. This on-off fluorescent host-(endo-exo)guest complex is utilized for detection of biomolecules (e.g., negative-charged nucleosides, DNA, and antibiotics) and cell imaging with off-on fluorescence response via a competitive host-guest exchange with the exo-guest.