Biogenic polyamines, especially spermine and spermidine, are associated with cell growth and development. These amines can be found at high concentrations in the tumor cells, tissues, and urine of cancer patients. In contrast, spermidine levels drop with age, and a possible connection between low endogenous spermidine concentrations and age-related deterioration has been suggested. Thus, the quantification of these amines in body fluids like urine could be used in the diagnosis of different pathological situations. Here a new fluorescent molecular probe based on a tetraphenylethylene derivative is reported. This probe is able to selectively detect these amines through the enhancement of the fluorescence emission of the resulting complex. This fluorescence enhancement may be related to restricted intramolecular rotations of TPE phenyl rings induced by the analyte. Theoretical studies were carried out to shed light on the observed selectivity. Finally, the detection of these amines in urine was performed with limits of detection of 0.70 µM and 1.17 µM for spermine and spermidine, respectively.
A new hybrid organic–inorganic material for sensing spermine (Spm) and spermidine (Spd) has been prepared and characterized. The material is based on MCM-41 particles functionalized with an N-hydroxysuccinimide derivative and loaded with Rhodamine 6G. The cargo is kept inside the porous material due to the formation of a double layer of organic matter. The inner layer is covalently bound to the silica particles, while the external layer is formed through hydrogen and hydrophobic interactions. The limits of detection determined by fluorimetric titration are 27 µM and 45 µM for Spm and Spd, respectively. The sensor remains silent in the presence of other biologically important amines and is able to detect Spm and Spd in both aqueous solution and cells.
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