Double-channel based fluorescent probe for differentiating GSH and H2Sn (n>1) via a single-wavelength excitation with long-wavelength emission

Abstract

In this work, a fluorescent probe, DCI-Cou-SePh, was developed for differentiating glutathione (GSH) and hydrogen polysulfides (H2Sn, n>1) through different emission channels under a single-wavelength excitation. This probe was constructed by combining coumarin derivative (Cou) with phenylselenide moiety (-SePh) as recognition site 1 and dicyanoisopentanone derivative (DCI) via an ester bond serving as recognition site 2. Under 480 nm excitation, the probe subjected to GSH by displaying green fluorescence emission (λmaxem =530 nm), and this probe responded to H2Sn by presenting red emission (λmaxem =670 nm). This probe also can quantitatively detect GSH and H2Sn with low detection limits, 0.83 μM for GSH and 0.43 μM for H2Sn respectively. Furthermore, the simultaneously imaging for intracellular GSH and H2Sn has been demonstrated through preliminary biological experiments in living cells. In addition, this probe can be perfectly applied to detect endogenous H2Sn in living cells.