Ratiometric fluorescent probe with AIE property for monitoring endogenous hydrogen peroxide in macrophages and cancer cells

Yong Liu,Fangfang Meng,Jing Nie,Weiying Lin,Jie Niu

doi:10.1038/s41598-017-07465-5

Yong Liu, Fangfang Meng + Show 3 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-017-07465-5

Copy DOI

Abstract

Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) plays a key role in the progression of human illnesses, such as autoimmune and auto-inflammatory diseases, infectious diseases, diabetes, and cancer, etc. In this work, we have discribed a novel probe, TPE-TLE, which remarkably displayed AIE property and ratiometric fluorescence emission profiles in the presence of H2O2. This ratiometric fluorescent probe with AIE property exhibits outstanding features such as the well-resolved emission peaks, high sensitivity, high selectivity, low cytotoxicity, and good cell-membrane permeability. These excellent attributes enable us to demonstrate the ratiometric imaging of endogenously produced H2O2 in macrophages and cancer cells based on the novel ratiometric probe with AIE property for the first time. By comparing two kinds of cells, it is firstly found that cancer cells should contain much more endogenous H2O2 than macrophages. We expect that TPE-TLE will be useful fluorescent platform for the development of a variety of ratiometric fluorescent probes with AIE property to achieve unique biological applications.

Highlights

In 2001, the novel phenomenon of aggregation-induced emission (AIE) was first found by Tang’s group[1]
We describe the development of a novel ratiometric fluorescent probe with AIE property for ratiometric monitoring bioactive small molecule in the living system
We described a novel ratiometric H2O2 fluorescent probe with AIE property for the first time

Summary

Introduction

In 2001, the novel phenomenon of aggregation-induced emission (AIE) was first found by Tang’s group[1]. Owing to the transient nature of H2O2, fluorescent probes, which generally display high sensitivity and can be used to determine spatial and temporal distributions in live specimens, are appealing tools for the detection of ROS and related metabolites[24] Most of these probes are intensity-based type, and tend to be interfered by the variations in excitation intensity, probe concentration, etc. This ratiometric fluorescent probe with AIE property exhibits outstanding features such as the well-resolved emission peaks, high sensitivity, high selectivity, low cytotoxicity, and good cell-membrane permeability These features were promising this novel AIE material can be succesfully applied for ratiometric imaging endogenous H2O2 in living RAW 264.7 macrophages and cancer cells HepG2. Compared to RAW 264.7 macrophages, we firstly found that cancer cells HepG2 should contain much more endogenous H2O2

Objectives

Methods

Results

Conclusion