Chromo-Fluorogenic Rhodamine-Based Amphiphilic Probe as a Selective and Sensitive Sensor for Intracellular Cu(I) in...

Area of Science:

• Chemical Sensing
• Biomedical Diagnostics
• Fluorescent Probes

Background:

• Fluorescent probes offer sensitive, selective, and rapid detection of metal ions.
• Detecting intracellular copper(I) (Cu+) is challenging due to the complex cellular environment.
• Existing optical probes struggle with selectivity and sensitivity for Cu+ within cells.

Purpose of the Study:

• To design and synthesize novel water-soluble fluorescent probes for selective Cu+ detection.
• To evaluate the probes' efficacy in aqueous solutions and biological systems.
• To assess the probe's potential for differentiating cancer cells based on Cu+ levels.

Main Methods:

• Synthesis of three water-soluble probes (1-3) based on a 1,3,5-triazine core.
• Characterization of probe performance using spectrophotometry and fluorometry.
• Investigation of probe mechanisms using 1H NMR, dynamic light scattering, and transmission electron microscopy.
• Testing probe efficacy in differentiating cancer cells from normal cells.

Main Results:

• Probe 1, featuring an octyl chain and branched maltose, demonstrated high sensitivity and selectivity for Cu+.
• Probe 1 exhibited a distinct color change (colorless to pink) and enhanced yellow fluorescence upon Cu+ binding.
• Achieved a low limit of detection (20 nM) and dissociation constant (1.1 × 10-12 M) for Cu+.
• Demonstrated successful differentiation of Cu+ levels between cancer and normal cells.

Conclusions:

• The developed fluorescent probe offers a sensitive and selective method for intracellular Cu+ detection.
• The probe's design, incorporating specific functional groups, enhances its sensing capabilities.
• This probe shows significant potential for real-time monitoring of Cu+ in biological samples and bioimaging applications, particularly for cancer diagnostics.