Self-calibrating probes constructed on a unique dual-emissive fluorescence platform for the precise tracking of cellular senescence

Abstract

Human β-galactosidase (β-gal) is recognized as a crucial biomarker for evaluating senescence at the cellular and tissue levels in humans. However, tools to precisely track the endogenous β-gal are still limited. Herein, we present two novel self-calibrating β-gal probes 7a and 7b which were constructed on a unique green/red dual-emissive fluorescence platform. The two probes inherently exhibited a stable green fluorescence signal impervious to β-gal activity, serving as a reliable internal reference. They also displayed a progressively diminishing red fluorescence signal with the increasing of β-gal expression levels. The dual behavior endows them with self-calibration capacity and then renders excellently selective and sensitive for precisely monitoring β-gal activity. Notably, compared with E. coli β-gal, the two probes are more effectively response to A. oryzae β-gal homologous to human β-gal, indicating their unique species-selectivity. Furthermore, 7a was validated for its effectiveness in determining senescence-associated β-galactosidase (SA-β-gal) expression in senescent NRK-52E and HepG2 cells, underscoring its practical applicability in senescence research.