A highly specific and ultrasensitive two-photon fluorescent probe for imaging native hypochlorous acid in living cells

Monitoring native hypochlorous acid (HOCl) levels in living cells is of great significance because HOCl plays vital roles in various physiological and pathological processes. In this paper, we reported a novel biscoumarin-based two-photon fluorescent probe BCTP for monitoring native HOCl levels in living cells. Probe BCTP containing the recognition group of dimethylthiocarbamate moiety displayed preeminent selectivity towards HOCl over other various bioactive species (1 mM). Additionally, probe BCTP could quantitatively determine HOCl in the range of 0-3 nM with the detection limit of 27 pM. Moreover, probe BCTP could offer a promising tool for the real-time detection of HOCl (response time within 3 s). The potential applications of probe BCTP in the monitoring of native HOCl levels and the fluctuations of endogenous HOCl levels in living cells have been demonstrated by two-photon excitation microscopy with higher sensitivity. (C) 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.