A novel BODIPY-based fluorescent probe for selective detection of hydrogen sulfide in living cells and tissues

Hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) is a critical biological messenger in numerous physiological and pathophysiological processes. Small-molecule fluorescent probes combined with fluorescent microscopy have been developed for the sensitive detection of H₂S. Here, we designed and synthesized a long-wavelength BODIPY-based probe (TMSDNPOB) based on the thiolysis of dinitrophenyl ether according to photo-induced electron transfer theory and the results of computational calculation. 4,4-Difluoro-8-phenyl-1,5,7-trimethyl-3-(4-(2,4-dinitrophenoxy)styryl- 4-bora-3a,4a-diaza-s-indacene (TMSDNPOB) is nearly non-fluorescent, but the reaction product (TMSHOB) emits strong red fluorescence at 592nm when excited at 574nm. The long wavelengths of the designed probe indicate low background interference from biological matrix and little photo damage on fluorescence imaging of H₂S. With the advantages of the turn-on probe for H₂S including high sensitivity, high selectivity, good biocompatibility and low toxicity, the probe has been used for imaging H₂S in living cells and liver tissues.