pH-sensing supramolecular fluorescent probes discovered by library screening

Area of Science:

• Supramolecular chemistry
• Fluorescent probe design
• Biomedical sensing

Background:

• Development of sensitive and specific pH probes is crucial for biological research.
• Existing fluorescent probes often face limitations in stability or targeted delivery.
• Supramolecular chemistry offers novel platforms for designing responsive molecular systems.

Purpose of the Study:

• To report a new design concept for pH-sensing supramolecular fluorescent probes.
• To develop and prepare supramolecular fluorescent probes utilizing a pro-guest strategy.
• To evaluate the probes' ability to detect acidic environments in solution and live cells.

Main Methods:

• Design and synthesis of pro-guest molecules that degrade under acidic conditions.
• Encapsulation of fluorescent dyes within the supramolecular structure.
• Screening of a library of potential probes to identify functional candidates.
• In vitro and live-cell imaging experiments to assess probe performance.

Main Results:

• Pro-guest molecules were successfully synthesized and demonstrated degradation in acidic conditions.
• Degradation led to the release of encapsulated dyes, causing a significant fluorescence enhancement.
• A library screening identified effective probes for detecting acidic pH in solution.
• The developed supramolecular probes successfully detected acidic endosomal compartments in live cells.

Conclusions:

• The reported pro-guest based supramolecular fluorescent probes offer a novel and effective strategy for pH sensing.
• These probes exhibit enhanced fluorescence in response to acidic environments.
• The probes are capable of detecting acidic conditions within the endosomal compartments of live cells, demonstrating their potential for biological applications.