FRET-based ratiometric fluorescent detection of arginine in mitochondrion with a hybrid nanoprobe

• Published in: Chinese chemical letters Vol. 31; no. 2; pp. 443 - 446
• Main Authors: Li, Yueyue, Ban, Yanan, Wang, Ruihui, Wang, Zheng, Li, Zhanxian, Fang, Chenjie, Yu, Mingming
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 01.02.2020; College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China%School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100069, China
• Subjects: Arg; Cell imaging; FRET; Mitochondrion; Nanoprobe; Ratiometric; Mitochondrion; FRET; Cell imaging; Nanoprobe; Ratiometric; Arg
• ISSN: 1001-8417; 1878-5964
• DOI: 10.1016/j.cclet.2019.07.047

As an important amino acid, Arg participates in the synthesis of many materials such as agmatine, cretine, and has a significant part in many life activities, such as cell division and wound healing. Here, a ratiometric fluorescent hybrid nanoprobe CDs-1 for arginine (Arg) was prepared by the supramolecular assembly between hemicyanine molecules and carbon dots (CDs) to modulate fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) process, exhibits high sensitivity and excellent selectivity and anti-interference ability. Further, due to its ability to target mitochondrion and low cytotoxicity, intracellular Arg was successfully tracked through ratiometric fluorescence imaging. [Display omitted] A ratiometric fluorescent hybrid nanoprobe CDs-1 for arginine (Arg), exhibiting high sensitivity (the limit of detection, LOD, being 6.5 × 10−8 mol/L) and excellent selectivity and anti-interference ability, was fabricated through fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) and the electrostatic attraction between positively-charged hemicyanine molecules and negatively-charged carbon dots (CDs). Arg can be quantitatively detected in the concentration range from 6.0 × 10−5 mol/L to 2.7 × 10−4 mol/L. Further, due to its ability to target mitochondrion and low cytotoxicity, intracellular Arg was successfully tracked through ratiometric fluorescence imaging.