A COX2-targeting cancer-specific fluorescent probe for hydrogen sulfide detection in living cells, Caenorhabditis elegans, and zebrafish

Abstract

A novel cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) targeted H₂S-activated cancer-specific fluorescent probe, namely, COX2-H₂S, was designed and synthesized, with naphthalimide as the fluorophore and indomethacin as the targeting group. This H₂S-sensing probe was developed to differentiate tumor cells from normal cells and was tested in living cells, Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans), and zebrafish. The probe could successfully be used for imaging endogenous and exogenous H₂S in living cells, demonstrating high sensitivity and specificity and strong anti-interference. COX2-H₂S had the ability to not only discern cancer cells from normal cells but also specifically recognize 9L/lacZ cells from other glioblastoma cells (U87-MG and LN229). It could also be successfully applied for the fluorescent live imaging of H₂S in both C. elegans and zebrafish.