Visualization and Quantification of Base-Level SO₂ in Live Cells without Intracellular Background Interference Using...

Area of Science:

• Biochemistry
• Analytical Chemistry
• Cell Biology

Background:

• Sulfur dioxide (SO2) acts as an endogenous gasotransmitter in physiological processes.
• Accurate distinction and quantification of base-level SO2 in live cells remain analytical challenges.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop an efficient method for visualizing and quantifying base-level SO2 in live mammalian cells.
• To utilize 19F-NMR for real-time SO2 measurement without interference.

Main Methods:

• A high-performance 19F-probe (P1-CF3) was employed for reaction with reactive sulfur species (RSS).
• The probe generates distinct chemical shift profiles in NMR spectra for SO2 detection.
• Quantitative reaction with SO2 produces a stable, distinguishable addition product.

Main Results:

• The 19F-NMR method successfully visualizes and quantifies base-level SO2 in live mammalian cells.
• Base-level SO2 concentrations vary significantly across different cell lines.
• Simultaneous real-time quantification of intracellular and extracellular SO2 was achieved with high accuracy and precision.

Conclusions:

• The developed 19F-NMR method offers an efficient and accurate approach for SO2 analysis in biological systems.
• This technique overcomes limitations of existing analytical methods for base-level SO2.
• The findings highlight the variability of SO2 levels in different cell types, impacting physiological understanding.