title: Functional Nucleic Acid Probe for Parallel Monitoring K(+) and Protoporphyrin IX in Living Organisms.
abstract: Parallel monitoring of K(+) and protoporphyrin IX (PPIX) is of vital importance because they are not only involved in a variety of biological processes but also closely linked to each other in numerous cellular pathways. However, there are currently no existing methods that can meet the requirements for parallel and in vivo detection of K(+) and PPIX in living organisms. Herein, we demonstrated a functional nucleic acid (FNA)-based technique for parallel monitoring of K(+) and PPIX in living animals. Specifically, the selected G-rich FNA probe was selectively induced to form a parallel G-quadruplex by K(+). The parallel G-quadruplex then remarkably enhanced the fluorescence of PPIX. Thus, by modulating the fluorescence "turn on" with the G-quadruplex and K(+)/PPIX, both K(+) and PPIX could be detected. After validating the developed method for selective and sensitive detection of K(+) and PPIX in vitro, their dynamic changes in living organisms (i.e., living brains and tumors) following various physiological and pathological processes were simultaneously monitored. The current study not only provides a general method for the detection of metal ions and bioactive molecules but also presents a way to investigate their synergistic functions in the regulation of various biological processes. It may also be helpful for improving the imaging and therapeutic efficacy of PPIX and 5-ALA.
authors: Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Life Sciences, Nanjing National Laboratory of Microstructures , Nanjing, Jiangsu 210093, China.|State Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Life Science, Nanjing University , Nanjing 210093, China.
authors: Hanjun
authors: H
authors: Cheng
authors: Department of Urology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, The Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School , Nanjing, Jiangsu 210008, China.
authors: Xuefeng
authors: X
authors: Qiu
authors: Department of Urology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, The Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School , Nanjing, Jiangsu 210008, China.
authors: Xiaozhi
authors: X
authors: Zhao
authors: School of Physics, Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructures, Nanjing National Laboratory of Microstructures, Nanjing University , Nanjing, Jiangsu 210093, China.
authors: Wei
authors: W
authors: Meng
authors: Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Life Sciences, Nanjing National Laboratory of Microstructures , Nanjing, Jiangsu 210093, China.
authors: Da
authors: D
authors: Huo
authors: Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Life Sciences, Nanjing National Laboratory of Microstructures , Nanjing, Jiangsu 210093, China.
authors: Hui
authors: H
authors: Wei
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015341:Nucleic Acid Probes; D011524:Protoporphyrins / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D015341:Nucleic Acid Probes; D011524:Protoporphyrins; C028025:protoporphyrin IX