title: Direct imaging of biological sulfur dioxide derivatives in vivo using a two-photon phosphorescent probe.
abstract: Sulfur dioxide (SO2) and its derivatives sulfite and bisulfite play important roles in biological systems. However, in vivo detection of sulfite/bisulfite remains challenging. In this study, we developed a dinuclear Ir(III) complex (Ir4) as a two-photon phosphorescent probe for sulfite and bisulfite. Ir4 selectively and rapidly responded, with high sensitivity, to sulfite/bisulfite over other bio-related ions and molecules. One-photon and two-photon microscopy images revealed that Ir4 preferentially targeted mitochondria and was capable of imaging biological sulfite/bisulfite levels in vitro and in vivo. In situ sulfite generation in Caenorhabditis elegans was visualized by two-photon excitation real-time imaging. Finally, Ir4 was employed to monitor sulfite distribution in rat brain and other tissues. This study is the first report of the direct visualization of SO2 derivatives in vivo. These results provide new insights into the biological importance of SO2.
authors.affiliation: MOE Laboratory of Bioinorganic and Synthetic Chemistry, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, PR China.
authors.forename: Guanying
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: MOE Laboratory of Bioinorganic and Synthetic Chemistry, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, PR China.
authors.forename: Yu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: MOE Laboratory of Bioinorganic and Synthetic Chemistry, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, PR China.
authors.forename: Jinquan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: MOE Laboratory of Bioinorganic and Synthetic Chemistry, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, PR China.
authors.forename: Jingheng
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of Zurich, Winterthurestrasse 190, CH-8057 Zurich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Gilles
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gasser
authors.affiliation: MOE Laboratory of Bioinorganic and Synthetic Chemistry, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, PR China.
authors.forename: Liangnian
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ji
authors.affiliation: MOE Laboratory of Bioinorganic and Synthetic Chemistry, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, PR China. Electronic address: ceschh@mail.sysu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Hui
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Chao
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001923:Brain Chemistry; D017173:Caenorhabditis elegans; D056831:Coordination Complexes / Q000737:chemistry*; D056945:Hep G2 Cells; D006801:Humans; D007495:Iridium / Q000737:chemistry*; D049408:Luminescent Agents / Q000737:chemistry*; D008163:Luminescent Measurements; D051379:Mice; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D061848:Optical Imaging; D017785:Photons; D051381:Rats; D013447:Sulfites / Q000032:analysis*; D013458:Sulfur Dioxide / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D056831:Coordination Complexes; D049408:Luminescent Agents; D013447:Sulfites; D013458:Sulfur Dioxide; D007495:Iridium; C042345:hydrogen sulfite
keywords: Biological SO(2); Caenorhabditis elegans; Iridium(III) complex; Mice tissues; Two-photon probe