A near-infrared turn-on fluorescence probe for glutathione detection based on nanocomposites of semiconducting polymer dots and MnO2 nanosheets

• Published in: Analytical and bioanalytical chemistry 2020-11, Vol.412 (29), p.8167-8176
• Main Authors: Zheng, Cheng, Ding, Lei, Wu, Yanni, Tan, Xionghong, Zeng, Yongyi, Zhang, Xiaolong, Liu, Xiaolong, Liu, Jingfeng
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Analytical Chemistry; Bile; Biochemistry; Biomedical materials; Biosensors; Characterization and Evaluation of Materials; Chemistry; Chemistry and Materials Science; Fluorescence; Fluorescent indicators; Food Science; Glutathione; I.R. radiation; Laboratory Medicine; Manganese dioxide; Monitoring/Environmental Analysis; Nanocomposites; Nanoparticles; Nanosheets; Near infrared radiation; Polymers; Research Paper
• ISSN: 1618-2642; 1618-2650
• DOI: 10.1007/s00216-020-02951-8

Fluorescence biosensors that enable highly sensitive detection of glutathione (GSH) are in great demand for various biological investigations and early disease diagnoses. Here, we report a turn-on fluorescence nanoplatform based on fluorescent semiconducting polymer nanoparticle@MnO 2 nanosheets (P-dot@MnO 2 ) nanocomposites for rapid homogeneous determination of GSH. The near-infrared (NIR) fluorescent P-dots were prepared by doping NIR dyes into polymer matrix and then encompassed by MnO 2 , which resulted in a remarkable fluorescence quenching. Owing to the selective decomposition of MnO 2 by GSH, the fluorescence recovery was achieved in the presence of GSH. On the basis of the target-induced turn-on fluorescence response, the developed nanoplatform can readily detect GSH with a high sensitivity up to 0.26 μM, as well as a superior specificity. Furthermore, it was successfully applied in monitoring the intracellular GSH in living cells, revealing its great potential in biomedical applications. Graphical abstract