Crown monitoring: Trace the dynamic changes of caspase-3 and H2O2 in real-time imaging based on FRET/SERS

Abstract

Caspase-3 and hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) are closely associated with numerous diseases, both of them are vital in different physiological and pathological conditions. They are closely related and also can act independently. The selective and accurate determination of caspase-3 and H₂O₂ simultaneously to determine their state of being in different situations is of great significance for further study of their molecular mechanisms and the elucidation of their biological functions. In our latest research, a AuNPL-crown nanoprobe was obtained by attaching (4-aminosulfonylphenyl) boronic acid (4-APBA) and peptide-FITC (NH₂-Asp-Glu-Val-Asp (DEVD)-FITC) to gold nanoplates (AuNPLs). The fabricated AuNPL-crown nanoprobe was used for dual-channel and real-time tracking of the dynamic changes in caspase-3 and H₂O₂ based on fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET)/surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) technology. The AuNPL-crown nanoprobe not only provides synergy but can also achieve noninterference, making the results more reliable and repeatable. This study simultaneously traced the dynamic changes of caspase-3 and H₂O₂ on a single probe, which provides a potential new platform for the analysis of caspase-3 and H₂O₂ in the biological environment with high accuracy, sensitivity, convenience, and efficiency. In summary, we develop a new strategy for the simultaneous detection of different substances on a single probe.

Keywords: Caspase-3; Crown monitoring; FRET/SERS; H(2)O(2); Imaging.