A cysteine-activated fluorescent H2S donor for visualizing H2S release and alleviating cellular inflammation

Abstract

We developed Bcy-NCS, a Cys-specific fluorescent H₂S donor with a self-immolative spacer, overcoming the issue of multiple fluorophore release seen in traditional ICT-based donors. Bcy-NCS selectively responds to Cys, releases H₂S, and enables fluorescence-based monitoring. It also reduces LPS-induced inflammation in RAW 264.7 cells, indicating potential for inflammation treatment.