Numerous chemosensors have been developed for next-generation detection systems because of their ease of use and promising characteristics to distinguish signals between various analytes binding. However, given their typically poor emission response and arduous preparation methods, very few chemosensing probes have been commercialized to date. In this work, a simple, naphthoquinone-based mitochondria-targeting chemosensor (CIA) has been fabricated for the simultaneous detection of Cu2+ and GSSG (glutathione oxidized) through an "on-off" mode in a buffered semi-aqueous solution. Significantly, the CIA chemosensor showed a sensitive detection response towards Cu2+ and GSSG with low detection limits (0.309 μM, and 0.226 μM, respectively). In addition, the detection mechanism of CIA was thoroughly verified and confirmed using numerous analytical techniques. Furthermore, CIA was utilized as a sequential fluorescence biomarker to detect Cu2+ in human cervical cancer cell lines. These findings indicate that the chemosensor CIA can discriminate human cancer cells from normal cells. The CIA was also confirmed to possess the ability to target mitochondria. More importantly, the present CIA chemosensor detected Cu2+ in zebrafish larvae, indicating the probe has tissue penetration ability.
Keywords: Cancer cells imaging; Copper ion; Glutathione oxidized; Naphthoquinone; Zebrafish imaging.
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