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Strategies for the Development of Donors and Precursors of Hydrogen Selenide (H2Se)
Jinxin Hu1,2, Wenfang Liang1,3, Long Yi1,3
1Beijing University of Chemical Technology, 15 Beisanhuan East Road, Beijing, 100029, China.
Abstract:
Selenium (Se) is an essential trace element, and dietary Se sources can be metabolized to a shared metabolite, hydrogen selenide (H2Se). H2Se is the key precursor for the biosynthesis of Se-containing biomolecules and may be considered as an emerging gasotransmitter. Development of chemical tools and materials for controllable release of H2Se is significant in understanding Se-related chemical biology and may open new avenues for treating some diseases. In this review, we focus on the development of H2Se donors and precursors as well as their biological applications. In addition, we discuss the reaction mechanisms of these donors, the design strategies for fluorogenic donors, and future prospects of the H2Se field. We anticipate that this review would promote the development of advanced H2Se donors as potentially pharmacological research tools and help to further unearth the H2Se chemical biology.
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