I-motif-based nano-flares for sensing pH changes in live cells

Area of Science:

• Biochemistry
• Molecular Biology
• Cell Biology

Background:

• Intracellular pH (pHi) is a critical regulator of cellular functions.
• Accurate and real-time monitoring of pHi in live cells remains challenging.
• Existing pH probes often suffer from limitations in specificity, sensitivity, or cellular compatibility.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a novel intracellular probe for sensitive and specific detection of pH changes within live cells.
• To create a probe that integrates cellular delivery, enzymatic stability, and pH sensing capabilities.
• To demonstrate the utility of the developed probe in monitoring dynamic pHi fluctuations.

Main Methods:

• Design and synthesis of i-motif-based nano-flare probes.
• Optimization of cellular transfection protocols for efficient probe delivery.
• Enzymatic treatment to enhance probe stability within the cellular environment.
• Confocal microscopy and fluorescence spectroscopy for pHi detection and validation.

Main Results:

• Successfully developed i-motif-based nano-flares capable of entering live cells.
• Demonstrated that the nano-flares exhibit high sensitivity and specificity to intracellular pH variations.
• Confirmed enzymatic protection significantly enhances probe stability and longevity within cells.
• Observed distinct fluorescence signals correlating with endogenous pH changes in response to cellular stimuli.

Conclusions:

• I-motif-based nano-flares represent a promising new tool for intracellular pH sensing.
• The combined features of cellular transfection, enzymatic protection, and pH detection enable robust pHi monitoring.
• This technology holds potential for advancing our understanding of cellular physiology and disease mechanisms.