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Synthesis, Cellular Delivery and In vivo Application of Dendrimer-based pH Sensors
Published on: September 10, 2013
Nanoscale semiconducting polymer dots with rhodamine spirolactam as fluorescent sensor for mercury ions in living
Zhaoyang Ding1, Xilin Dou2, Gan Wu2
1College of Food Science and Technology, Shanghai Ocean University, No.999, Huchenghuan Road, Shanghai 201306, China; Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Aquatic-Product Processing & Preservation, Shanghai 201306, China; Key Laboratory of Aquatic Products High-quality Utilization, Storage and Transportation (Co-construction by Ministry and Province), Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Shanghai 201306, China.
Abstract:
Mercury ion (Hg2+), as one of the most poisonous heavy metal ions, could seriously damage mental and neurological functions thus causing severe diseases. A fluorescent ratiometric sensor based on semiconducting polymer dots (Pdots) and rhodamine spirolactam derivate was developed for the detection of Hg2+. The Pdots were prepared by Poly [(9,9-dioctylfluorenyl-2,7-diyl)-co-(1,4-diphenylene-vinylene-2-methoxy-5-{2-ethylhexyloxy}-benzene)] (PDDB) with emitting strong green fluorescence. The organic fluorescence dye N-(rhodamine-B) lactam-hydrazine (RhBH), as Hg2+-recognizing monomer, was conjugated to the surface of Pdots. Hg2+ could specifically trigger ring-opening process of RhBH and thus induce strong Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) effect, resulting in the green fluorescence decrease of Pdots (energy donor) and red emission derived from the ring-opened RhBH (energy acceptor) increasing. PDDB@RhBH showed a sensitive and reversible response toward Hg2+ and had a great performance on resisting interferences from various biological analytes. Additionally, both fluorescent imaging in living cells and zebrafish, and systemic toxicity analysis in rats demonstrated that PDDB@RhBH was a great potential fluorescent sensor for quantitative Hg2+ imaging in living systems.
