A novel two-photon fluorescent probe for hydrogen sulfide in living cells using an acedan–NBD amine dyad based on FRET process with high selectivity and sensitivity

Abstract

Two-photon imaging, due to its unique advantage to utilize near-infrared light as the excitation source, has emerged as an important tool for biomedical research. Herein, the first NBD amine based two-photon fluorescence probe L using a FRET strategy was developed for detecting H₂S in vitro and in vivo. The probe L not only afforded high selectivity and sensitivity for the detection of H₂S, but also displayed a linear response to H₂S with a low detection limit of 24 nM. Furthermore, the living cell experiments indicated that L can be effective for the both exogenous and endogenous detection of H₂S inside living cells by two-photon fluorescence imaging.