A dual-channel fluorescent nanoprobe for accurate cancer diagnosis by sequential detection of adenosine triphosphate and sulfur dioxide

• Published in: Talanta (Oxford) 2023-12, Vol.265, p.124815-124815, Article 124815
• Main Authors: Hou, Mei-Jia, Wang, Zhi-Qing, Chen, Jun-Tao, Tan, Zhi-Ke, Mao, Guo-Jiang, Chen, Dong-Hua, Li, Yongfei, Li, Chun-Yan
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Accurate cancer diagnosis; Adenosine Triphosphate; Animals; ATP; biomarkers; Diagnostic Imaging; early diagnosis; fluorescence; Fluorescence imaging; fluorescent dyes; Fluorescent Dyes - chemistry; humans; Lewis bases; Mice; neoplasms; Neoplasms - diagnostic imaging; patients; Sequential detection; SO2; Sulfur Dioxide; ZIF-90
• ISSN: 0039-9140; 1873-3573
• DOI: 10.1016/j.talanta.2023.124815

Cancer is one of the major diseases that seriously endanger the health of all mankind. Accurate diagnosis of early cancer is the most promising way to reduce cancer harm and improve patient survival. However, many developed fluorescent probes for cancer imaging only have the function of identifying one marker, which cannot meet the needs of accurate diagnosis. Here, a fluorescent nanoprobe (CPH@ZIF-90) utilizing ZIF-90 to encapsulate SO2-sensitive dye (CPH) is synthesized for the sequential detection of ATP and SO2. The nanoprobe first interacts with ATP to release CPH, thus increasing the fluorescence at 685 nm and realizing the near-infrared (NIR) fluorescence detection of ATP. Then, SO2 acts on the released CPH through nucleophilic addition, affecting the π-conjugated structure of CPH and resulting in enhanced fluorescence at 580 nm. CPH@ZIF-90 exhibits satisfactory sensitivity and selectivity for sequential detection of ATP and SO2. Excitedly, CPH@ZIF-90 can sequentially image the endogenous ATP and SO2 in cells, showing sensitive fluorescence changes in dual channels (red and green). Due to the NIR emission properties of CPH@ZIF-90 and its ability to enrich in tumor, it is applied to monitor ATP and SO2 in mice and distinguish normal mice from tumor mice. The ability of CPH@ZIF-90 to sequentially detect two cancer-related biomarkers makes it provide meaningful assistance in accurate early diagnosis of cancer. [Display omitted] •A fluorescent nanoprobe for the sequential detection of ATP and SO2 is synthesized.•CPH@ZIF-90 shows high sensitivity and selectivity to ATP at 685 nm and SO2 at 580 nm.•CPH@ZIF-90 can be used for sequential imaging of endogenous ATP and SO2 in cells.•CPH@ZIF-90 can monitor ATP and SO2 in mice and distinguish normal and tumor mice.•CPH@ZIF-90's detection of two markers make it a promising tool for cancer diagnosis.