Fluorescent probes and functional materials for biomedical applications

Abstract

Due to their simplicity in preparation, sensitivity and selectivity, fluorescent probes have become the analytical tool of choice in a wide range of research and industrial fields, facilitating the rapid detection of chemical substances of interest as well as the study of important physiological and pathological processes at the cellular level. In addition, many long-wavelength fluorescent probes developed have also proven applicable for in vivo biomedical applications including fluorescence-guided disease diagnosis and theranostics (e.g., fluorogenic prodrugs). Impressive progresses have been made in the development of sensing agents and materials for the detection of ions, organic small molecules, and biomacromolecules including enzymes, DNAs/RNAs, lipids, and carbohydrates that play crucial roles in biological and disease-relevant events. Here, we highlight examples of fluorescent probes and functional materials for biological applications selected from the special issues “Fluorescent Probes” and “Molecular Sensors and Logic Gates” recently published in this journal, offering insights into the future development of powerful fluorescence-based chemical tools for basic biological studies and clinical translation.

Selective detection of peroxynitrite using an isatin receptor and a naphthalimide fluorophore

“…RAW 264.7 cells were incubated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) which can promote inflammatory response and upregulate the concentration of ONOO − . 53–56 As shown in Fig. 2D, the fluorescence intensity of DSPE-PEG/HN-I exhibited a 1.5-fold increase for LPS-loaded RAW 264.7 cells.…”

A Highly Sensitive and Selective Near-Infrared Fluorescent Probe for Imaging Peroxynitrite in Living Cells and Drug-Induced Liver Injury Mice

“…Compared to traditional methods, fluorescence-based techniques − have attracted great attention for ONOO – detection and imaging due to their high sensitivity, the ability to monitor analytes in real time, and noninvasiveness. − However, many fluorescent probes for ONOO – developed are small in Stokes shift, resulting in a high fluorescence inner filter effect and low fluorescence contrast. , Furthermore, the sensing mechanisms of the probes developed for ONOO – are generally based on the strong oxidative property of ONOO – ; this causes other reactive species to easily interfere with the sensing. , Finally, the emission wavelength of many of the ONOO – fluorescent probes reported is in the visible region, compromising the in vivo diagnostic potential for DILI. , …”

Bioimaging of glutathione variation for early diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma using a liver-targeting ratiometric near-infrared fluorescent probe

“…7,8 Nevertheless, these approaches suffer from complex sample pre-treatment and difficulty in visualization, which make them unsuitable for real-time and in situ GSH measurement in live cells and in vivo. Due to the advantages of excellent spectral characteristics, high spatiotemporal resolution, high sensitivity and selectivity, various small molecular fluorescent probes have been constructed for different biomolecules, [9][10][11][12][13][14][15] including GSH, [16][17][18][19] based on the strong nucleophilicity and reducibility properties of the mercapto unit. 20,21 However, an efficient imaging tool being capable of dynamically and in situ evaluating GSH fluctuation in early and advanced stages of mice HCC models has not been reported yet.…”