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Updated: Sep 7, 2025
Author Spotlight: Exploring Cellular Zinc Regulation Through ZnT1 Functionality
Published on: June 2, 2023
An Endoplasmic Reticulum-Targeted Ratiometric Fluorescent Molecule Reveals Zn2+ Micro-Dynamics During Drug-Induced
Hongbao Fang1, Yaheng Li1, Shankun Yao1
1State Key Laboratory of Coordination Chemistry, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Chemistry and Biomedicine Innovation Center (ChemBIC), Nanjing University, Nanjing, China.
Abstract:
The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is the main storage site of Zn2+, and Zn2+ plays an important role in regulating ER homeostasis. Therefore, we designed and synthesized a ratiometric fluorescent Zn2+ probe ER-Zn targeting ER stress. The probe displayed a specific Zn2+ induced blue shift at the spectral maximum values of excitation (80 nm) and emission (30 nm). The ratio imaging capability of Zn2+ under dual excitation mode can be applied not only to quantitative and reversible detection of exogenous Zn2+, but also the observation of the Zn2+ level change under ER stress, elucidating the different behaviors of Zn2+ release in ER stimulated by tunicamycin and thapsigargin. Additionally, the NIR imaging capability of ER-Zn provides an important basis for further research on animal models and is expected to realize the visualization and treatment of ER stress-related diseases through the regulation of ER stress by Zn2+. We envision that this probe can be applied to screen drugs for diseases related to ER stress regulation.
