title: Tagging live cells that express specific peptidase activity with solid-state fluorescence.
abstract: A three-component probe harnesses the extraordinary properties of a solid-state fluorophore for the detection of living cells exhibiting a particular peptidase activity. The off-on mode by which the probe operates, the bright fluorescence of the resulting precipitate, and the rapid response allow an exceptional signal-to-background ratio during microscopic imaging. A tertiary carbamate link between the spacer and phenolic fluorophore is at the heart of the probe's long-term stability. The degree of chlorination of the probe determines its response time and thus its suitability for live-cell analysis. Our probe also allows highly resolved localization of peptidase activity during gel analysis or on agar. In comparison, probes releasing soluble fluorophores demonstrate complete diffusion of the fluorescent signal. These results demonstrate the probe's potential for diverse biomedical applications, including high-fidelity flow cytometry and sensitive colony assays.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de Chimie, University of Lyon-UCB Lyon 1, CNRS, ENS de Lyon, 46 allée d'Italie, 69364 Lyon (France).
authors.forename: Maxime
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Prost
authors.forename: Laurence
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Canaple
authors.forename: Jacques
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Samarut
authors.forename: Jens
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hasserodt
mesh_terms: D002470:Cell Survival; D005453:Fluorescence; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism; D006367:HeLa Cells; D006801:Humans; D007931:Leucyl Aminopeptidase / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism*; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D013050:Spectrometry, Fluorescence
chemical_list: D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D007931:Leucyl Aminopeptidase
keywords: cell tagging; cleavage reactions; fluorescence spectroscopy; fluorogenic probes; spacers