Construct a lysosome-targeting and highly selective fluorescent probe for imaging of hydrogen sulfide in living cells and inflamed tissues

Since the fluctuation of cellular hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is a very important third endogenously generated gaseous signaling molecule and plays a key role in the development of numerous human disorders, the real-time fluorescence detection of H2S in living systems has attracted plenty of interest during past decade. Although a lot of H2S fluorescent probes have been reported, the relationship between the physiology and pathology of H2S in organelles remains unclear, especially for inflammatory tissue. In this work, by adopting a weakly basic morpholine group as the lysosome-targeting site, a naphthalimide derivative as the signal reporter group and a 4-dinitrobenzene-ether (DNB) as fluorescence signal quencher and H2S-selective recognition moiety, we reported a new lysosome-targeting TP fluorescent probe LyNP-H2S for H2S detection and imaging in living cells and inflamed tissues. The probe LyNP-H2S exhibits very low fluorescence signal in the absence of H2S, and displays a significant 262-fold fluorescence intensity enhancement in the presence of H2S at 540 nm. Moreover, LyNP-H2S has the capability of quantitative detection of H2S at concentrations ranging from 0 to 12.0 mu M (limit of detection = 9.8 nM), rapid response, as well as high sensitivity and selectivity toward H2S. Impressively, the results of living cell and inflamed tissues imaging test demonstrate that LyNP-H2S has the potentiality of being an ideal probe for real-time H2S detection in biosystems. (C) 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

A new lysosome-targeting TP fluorescent probe LyNP-H2S for H2S detection and imaging in living cells and inflamed tissues was reported in this study, showing a significant fluorescence enhancement in the presence of H2S. The probe has the capability of quantitative detection of H2S, rapid response, as well as high sensitivity and selectivity. Living cell and inflamed tissues imaging test results demonstrate its potential as an ideal probe for real-time H2S detection in biosystems.