A novel, cell-permeable, fluorescent probe for ratiometric imaging of zinc ion.
Zn(2+) plays important roles in various biological systems; as a result, the development of tools that can visualize chelatable Zn(2+) has attracted much attention recently. We report here newly synthesized fluorescent sensors for Zn(2+), ZnAF-Rs, whose excitation maximum is shifted by Zn(2+) under physiological conditions. Thus, these sensors enable ratiometric imaging, which is a technique to reduce artifacts by minimizing the influence of extraneous factors on the fluorescence of a probe. Ratiometric measurement can provide precise data, and some probes allow quantitative detection. ZnAF-Rs are the first ratiometric fluorescent sensors for Zn(2+) that enable quantitative analysis under physiological conditions. ZnAF-Rs also possess suitable K(d) for applications, and high selectivity against other biologically relevant cations, especially Ca(2+). Using these probes, changes of intracellular Zn(2+) concentration in cultured cells were monitored successfully. We believe that these probes will be extremely useful in studies on the biological functions of Zn(2+).
Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan.
Satoko
S
Maruyama
Kazuya
K
Kikuchi
Tomoya
T
Hirano
Yasuteru
Y
Urano
Tetsuo
T
Nagano
D001572:Benzofurans / Q000737:chemistry / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D002463:Cell Membrane Permeability; D002614:Chelating Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D005029:Ethylenediamines / Q000737:chemistry / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D005453:Fluorescence; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D013379:Substrate Specificity; D015032:Zinc / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry*
D001572:Benzofurans; D002614:Chelating Agents; D005029:Ethylenediamines; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D015032:Zinc; C044387:N,N,N',N'-tetrakis(2-pyridylmethyl)ethylenediamine