A cysteine-activated fluorescent H₂S donor for visualizing H₂S release and alleviating cellular inflammation

Area of Science:

• Chemical Biology
• Biochemistry
• Fluorescence Spectroscopy

Background:

• Traditional ICT-based H₂S donors often suffer from multiple fluorophore release, complicating detection.
• Selective and efficient H₂S donors are crucial for biological research and therapeutic development.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a Cys-specific fluorescent H₂S donor with a self-immolative spacer.
• To overcome limitations of existing H₂S donors, such as non-specific fluorophore release.
• To evaluate the potential of the developed donor in reducing inflammation.

Main Methods:

• Synthesis of Bcy-NCS, a novel Cys-specific fluorescent H₂S donor.
• Utilizing a self-immolative spacer to prevent multiple fluorophore release.
• Assessing the selectivity and H₂S release mechanism in response to Cys.
• Evaluating the anti-inflammatory effects of Bcy-NCS in LPS-induced RAW 264.7 cells.

Main Results:

• Bcy-NCS demonstrated Cys-specific H₂S release.
• The self-immolative spacer successfully prevented multiple fluorophore release.
• Fluorescence-based monitoring of H₂S was achieved with high selectivity.
• Bcy-NCS significantly reduced LPS-induced inflammation in cellular models.

Conclusions:

• Bcy-NCS is an effective Cys-specific fluorescent H₂S donor with improved performance over traditional methods.
• The developed probe enables precise fluorescence-based monitoring of H₂S.
• Bcy-NCS exhibits therapeutic potential for managing inflammatory conditions.