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Published on: January 4, 2016
Dual-Responsive Fluorescent Sensor for Monitoring ALP and SO2 in Cholestatic Liver Injury Evaluation and Drug
Yudi Cheng1,2, Jiao Chen1,3, Wenwen Jiang1
1Key Laboratory of Synthetic and Natural Functional Molecule of the Ministry of Education, Xi'an Key Laboratory of Photo-functional Molecular Materials and Theranostic, College of Chemistry & Materials Science, Northwest University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710127, China.
Researchers developed a novel fluorescent sensor, N-P, to detect alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and sulfur dioxide (SO2), key indicators of cholestatic liver injury (CLI). This tool aids in early CLI diagnosis and drug discovery.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Engineering
- Chemical Biology
- Medical Diagnostics
Background:
- Cholestatic liver injury (CLI) is a condition of impaired bile flow and oxidative stress, often asymptomatic early on.
- Current diagnostic and therapeutic options for CLI are limited, necessitating improved methods.
- Alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and sulfur dioxide (SO2) are critical indicators in CLI pathogenesis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a dual-responsive fluorescent sensor (N-P) for detecting ALP and SO2.
- To enable real-time visualization of endogenous ALP and SO2 in biological systems.
- To establish a platform for CLI diagnosis and therapeutic drug screening.
Main Methods:
- Construction of a dual-responsive fluorescent sensor, N-P.
- Characterization of sensor properties including water solubility, limit of detection (LOD), and Stokes shift.
- Application of the sensor for in vivo imaging in living cells and zebrafish.
Main Results:
- The N-P sensor demonstrated excellent water solubility and a large Stokes shift (~170 nm).
- Achieved low limits of detection: 0.5458 U/L for ALP and 0.1604 μM for SO2.
- Successfully visualized endogenous ALP and SO2 in real-time within living cells and zebrafish.
Conclusions:
- The N-P sensor provides a versatile platform for sequential detection of ALP and SO2.
- This sensor facilitates early diagnosis of CLI and screening of therapeutic agents.
- The study advances pharmaceutical development and diagnostic strategies for CLI.

