Glutathione displacement assay based on a fluorescent Au(I) complex

J Mater Chem B. 2023 Aug 9;11(31):7344-7352. doi: 10.1039/d3tb00953j.

Abstract

Glutathione (GSH) is an essential molecule that plays a pivotal role in maintaining intracellular redox homeostasis, as well as other physiological processes. However, the chemical mechanisms underlying the GSH-induced processes remain insufficiently understood due to the lack of appropriate detection tools. Fluorescence GSH imaging can serve as a useful principle for the rapid, convenient, and non-destructive detection of GSH in living organisms. In this study, we developed a fluorescent GSH probe based on a linear, homoleptic Au(I) complex with two 1,3-diphenylbenzimidazolium carbene ligands. The Au(I) complex produced a fluorescence turn-on response to GSH. Fluorescence GSH signaling was characterized with a short response time of a few seconds. The rapid response was attributed to the displacement of the carbene ligand with GSH, which involved a labile inner-sphere coordination interaction. Finally, we demonstrated the biological utility of our GSH probe by unambiguously discriminating between different GSH levels in normal and senescent preadipocytes.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Cell Survival
  • Fluorescent Dyes / chemistry
  • Glutathione* / chemistry
  • Gold / chemistry
  • Hydrogen-Ion Concentration

Substances

  • Glutathione
  • Gold
  • Fluorescent Dyes