Wilson's disease (WD), which might lead to acute liver failure, is an inherited disorder characterized by accumulation of copper (Cu2+) in the brain, the liver, and other vital organs. In the clinic, decreased serum alkaline phosphatase (ALP) concentration is used for WD diagnosis. But to the best of our knowledge, using a fluorescent probe to simultaneously detect multiple factors in WD (e.g., Cu2+, pyrophosphate (PPi), and ALP) has not been reported. Herein, we rationally designed a fluorescent switch (E)-8-((4-methylbenzylidene)amino)napthalen-1-amine (L) and successfully applied it for sequential and selective detections of Cu2+, PPi, and ALP in vitro, in living cells and synovial fluid samples with "Off," "On," and "Off" fluorescence signals, respectively. Considering the obvious correlations among Cu2+, PPi, and ALP in WD, we envision that our fluorescent probe L could be applied to in vitro diagnosing WD in the near future.
Keywords: Alkaline phosphatase; Copper ion; Fluorescent probe; Pyrophosphate; Wilson’s disease.