Rational design of a bifunctional fluorescent probe for distinguishing Hcy/Cys from GSH with ideal properties

By pairing two fluorophores according to their optical properties such as absorption spectral overlap and absorptivity, fluorescent quantum yield and emission spectral separation, a bifunctional fluorescent probe, TQBF-NBD, was rationally designed and synthesized to discriminatively sense Hcy/Cys and GSH with good selectivity and sensitivity. It is noted that this probe could work under a single-wavelength excitation and displayed a mega-large Stokes shift. TQBF-NBD reacted with Hcy/Cys to give a mixed green-red fluorescence and displayed a red fluorescence upon the treatment with GSH. Distinguishable imaging of intracellular Hcy/Cys from GSH with the help of TQBF-NBD was realized in living cells and zebrafish. (C) 2020 Chinese Chemical Society and Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

TQBF-NBD, a bifunctional fluorescent probe, was designed and synthesized to selectively sense Hcy/Cys and GSH with good sensitivity and selectivity. It can work under single-wavelength excitation and has a large Stokes shift, allowing distinguishable imaging of Hcy/Cys and GSH in living cells and zebrafish.