Design of a FRET-based fluorescent probe for the reversible detection of SO2 and formaldehyde in living cells and mice†
Abstract
SO2 and formaldehyde (FA) are important signal molecules in physiological and pathological processes. It is particularly urgent to seek a method that can monitor SO2 and FA in real-time to study their role in organisms. Herein, we designed and synthesized a ratiometric fluorescent probe NaP based on the FRET mechanism for the reversible detection of SO2 and FA. This probe possesses high sensitivity, good selectivity, excellent photostability, low cytotoxicity and an ultra-fast response to SO2 (within 5 s). Notably, the probe can be recovered efficiently by FA. In addition, the biological experiments showed that the novel probe NaP could reversibly image SO2 and FA in cells and mice.