[Development and applications of Fe(II)-selective fluorescent probes]

Area of Science:

• Biochemistry
• Cell Biology
• Medical Imaging

Background:

• Iron is essential for physiological processes but excess iron causes cellular damage via oxidative stress.
• Developing tools to monitor iron (Fe II) in living systems is crucial for understanding its dual role.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and utilize organelle-targeted fluorescent probes for selective Fe(II) detection.
• To investigate the dynamic changes of labile Fe(II) in specific organelles during ferroptosis.

Main Methods:

• Creation of a color series of Fe(II)-selective fluorescent probes (blue to deep-red).
• Application of probes for organelle-specific imaging (mitochondria, lysosome, endoplasmic reticulum).
• Fluorescence imaging to monitor Fe(II) alterations in organelles during ferroptosis.

Main Results:

• Established Fe(II)-selective fluorescent probes functional in aqueous buffers, live cells, and stained tissues.
• Developed organelle-targeted probes enabling visualization of Fe(II) in mitochondria, lysosomes, and endoplasmic reticulum.
• Demonstrated the utility of these probes in studying labile Fe(II) level alterations during ferroptosis.

Conclusions:

• Organelle-targeted fluorescent probes provide a powerful tool for studying iron dynamics in cellular processes.
• This approach facilitates the investigation of iron's role in ferroptosis and other iron-dependent cellular events.
• Understanding labile iron changes in organelles is key to elucidating the mechanisms of iron-related diseases.