•The first fluorescent probe for imaging protein S-nitrosylation is reported.•The probe features high specificity and sensitivity.•The probe has facilitated, for the first time, direct observation of protein S-nitrosylation in intact live cells.•Robustness of the probe has been exemplified by imaging the dynamic change of GAPDH nitrosylation in live cells.S-nitrosylation is a posttranslational modification of protein cysteine residues leading to the formation of S-nitrosothiols and its detection is crucial to understanding of redox regulation and NO-based signaling. Prototypical detection methods for S-nitrosylation are always carried out ex situ. However, the reversible nature and the tendency of transnitrosylation highlight the necessity of its probing in intact live biological contexts. Herein we provide a fluorogenic chemical probe for the detection of S-nitrosylation in live endothelial cells. The probe is weakly emissive alone and becomes highly fluorescent only after undergoing a reaction with S-nitrosothiols in live cellular environments. This probe features high degrees of specificity and desirable sensitivity. Furthermore, it has been successfully applied to image the dynamic change of protein S-nitrosylation in live endothelial cells. The applicability of the probe in complex biological systems has been additionally verified by imaging a known target of S-nitrosylation, glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH), in live cells. Due to the versatility exemplified, this probe holds great promise for exploring the role of protein S-nitrosylation in the pathophysiological process of a variety of vascular diseases.Download high-res image (226KB)Download full-size image

Unveiling the detailed roles of glutathione (GSH) in chemoresistance necessitates a reliable assay for its detection in intact live specimens. Herein, by taking advantage of the susceptibility of electron-poor Csp2–Ssufinyl bond to GSH nucleophilic attack, we developed a naphthalimide–sulfoxide based fluorogenic probe (Na-8) applicable for tracking endogenous GSH fluctuation in live cells. Na-8 features a high degree of sensitivity towards GSH as demonstrated by its utmost 2200-fold fluorogenic response. As a proof of concept, Na-8 has been applied to image GSH in liver cancer HepG2 cells with the normal L02 cell counterparts serving as a control, and elevated GSH level was observed in HepG2 in contrast to L02. Further experiments showed that this elevated GSH level was involved in doxorubicin-resistance but not in cisplatin-resistance. Noteworthy, monitoring GSH change in HepG2 and L02 cells in response to doxorubicin treatment revealed that while normal cells showed a burst of GSH in adaption to doxorubicin treatment, no significant change was detected in HepG2 cells, suggesting that HepG2 cells have been preconditioned by their intrinsic oxidative stress which confers drug-resistance. Given the observed sensitivity and spatiotemporal resolution, Na-8 should hold promise for future study on the detailed roles of GSH in drug-resistance.

•A probe for no washing staining of Aβ plaques is developed.•The probe can bind Aβ aggregates with high affinity.•Binding to Aβ plaques will trigger dramatic fluorescence enhancement.•Sensitive and no-wash staining of Aβ plaques in brain tissues is realized.Here we reported the development of the first photoinduced electron transfer (PeT) probe (1) to directly locate β-amyloid aggregates (Aβ plaques) in the brain without the need of post-washing procedures. The probe showed a high affinity for Aβ aggregates with a Kd value of 3.5 nM. It is weakly emissive by itself with its fluorescence quenched by electron transfer from PeT donor to the excited fluorophore. But selective binding to Aβ plaques would attenuate the PeT process and restore the fluorescence, therefore facilitating the tracking of Aβ plaques. The probe is advantageous in that its fluorescence is environment-less-sensitive and no washing procedure is required to provide high contrast fluorescent signal when applied to stain brain tissues. As a proof of concept, its application has been exemplified by staining Aβ plaques in slices of brain tissue from double transgenic (APP/PS1) mice of Alzheimer’s disease.

We report herein a fluorescence switch-on probe suitable for the detection of hydrogen sulfide (H2S) in complex biological systems. The probe features a straightforward synthesis, high sensitivity and good selectivity. As a proof of concept, its capability for detecting biological H2S has been illustrated by imaging H2S in live cells.

•The azo group was found for the first time to be able to act as a biocompatible reaction trigger for H2S.•One azo-based fluorescent switch-on probe for endogenous H2S was developed.•The probe features high specificity, good sensitivity, low detection limit.•The probe was successfully applied to the quantification of endogenous H2S in rat tissues.We report herein a reaction-based fluorescent switch-on sulfide sensor, azo3, for the quantification of endogenous sulfides in rat tissues. The sensor was exploited based on the novel azo-sulfide chemistry and designed by locking the rhodol fluorophore into its nonfluorescent form with an azo group. However, the azo group would undergo a specific and biocompatible reaction with sulfides, triggering significant fluorescence increasements which were linear to the concentrations of sulfides. Azo3 distinguished by its high sensitivity (148-fold fluorescent switch-on response), good selectivity (22-fold more selective towards sulfides than other bio-thiol species) and low detection limit (500 nM). Moreover, the azo3-based assay for biological sulfides displayed the unique advantage of being insusceptible to ultraviolet (UV) irradiation. Azo3 has been successfully applied to the quantification of endogenous sulfides in rat plasma and tissues including heart, brain, liver, spleen, lung and kidney. In addition to providing azo3 as a valuable tool to analyze sulfides in biological samples, we also discussed the influences of the electron effect on the sensitivity of the probes, which would shed some light on the design of future reaction-based probes.

An ICT-based fluorescent turn-on probe for hydrogen sulfide with high selectivity has been designed and synthesized. It exhibits up to 62-fold switch-on response toward H2S at given concentrations and can detect H2S in living cells with high sensitivity.

A new fluorescent sensor based on the BODIPY fluorophore and the polyamide receptor for Pb2+ was designed and synthesized. The sensor is highly selective for Pb2+ over relevant competing metal ions, and sensitive to ppb levels of Pb2+. It features the most sensitive probe to date for Pb2+ ions in water.

An ICT-based fluorescent turn-on probe for hydrogen sulfide with high selectivity has been designed and synthesized. It exhibits up to 62-fold switch-on response toward H2S at given concentrations and can detect H2S in living cells with high sensitivity.

A new fluorescent sensor based on the BODIPY fluorophore and the polyamide receptor for Pb2+ was designed and synthesized. The sensor is highly selective for Pb2+ over relevant competing metal ions, and sensitive to ppb levels of Pb2+. It features the most sensitive probe to date for Pb2+ ions in water.