Ir(Ⅲ) complexes specifically recognize cancer cells by photoluminescence measurements of glutathione and pH

IF 4.2 3区工程技术 Q2 CHEMISTRY, APPLIED

Dyes and Pigments Pub Date : 2025-07-17 DOI:10.1016/j.dyepig.2025.113046

Xiangjun Mu, Meihua Chen, Mei-Jin Li, Fengfu Fu

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Abstract

Compared to normal cells, cancer cells possess elevated levels of glutathione (GSH) and are characterized by a more acidic microenvironment. Taking advantage of this property, a GSH-sensitive probe Ir-dt, and a pH-sensitive probe Ir-OH, were designed and synthesized in this work. Due to the reducibility of GSH, the diketone part of the Ir-dt ligand was first changed to OH. After that, OH was oxidized to COOH by oxygen in the air due to its instability, resulting in enhanced photoluminescence (PL) of the solution after the reaction with GSH. Ir-dt had good specificity in response to GSH, and was not interfered by thiols such as Hcy and Cys. With the change of acid-base environment, the OH group in Ir-OH easily gained or lost protons, which led to the change of electron cloud distribution in the molecule. When the pH of the solution changed from acidic to alkaline, the PL color of the solution shifted progressively from red to green. Based on the changes of PL wavelength and intensity before and after the reaction, a ratio PL detection method for GSH and pH was designed. The PL of their mixed solutions was green when the GSH content was low and the pH was alkaline, and gradually became red with the GSH content increases and the pH decreases. After the verification of cell experiments, this method was expected to realize the specific detection of cancer cells.

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Ir（Ⅲ）配合物通过光致发光测量谷胱甘肽和pH值特异性识别癌细胞

与正常细胞相比，癌细胞具有更高水平的谷胱甘肽（GSH），并且具有更酸性的微环境。利用这一特性，设计并合成了gsh敏感探针Ir-dt和ph敏感探针Ir-OH。由于GSH的可还原性，Ir-dt配体的二酮部分首先变成OH。之后，OH由于其不稳定性，在空气中被氧氧化为COOH，导致与GSH反应后溶液的光致发光（PL）增强。Ir-dt对GSH具有良好的特异性，不受Hcy和Cys等硫醇的干扰。随着酸碱环境的变化，Ir-OH中的OH基团容易获得或失去质子，从而导致分子中电子云分布的变化。当溶液的pH值由酸性变为碱性时，溶液的PL色逐渐由红色变为绿色。根据反应前后发光波长和强度的变化，设计了GSH和pH的比值发光检测法。当GSH含量较低、pH为碱性时，其混合溶液的PL呈绿色，随着GSH含量的增加、pH的降低，其PL逐渐变为红色。经过细胞实验验证，该方法有望实现对癌细胞的特异性检测。

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来源期刊

Dyes and Pigments 工程技术-材料科学：纺织

CiteScore

8.20

自引率

13.30%

发文量

933

审稿时长

33 days

期刊介绍： Dyes and Pigments covers the scientific and technical aspects of the chemistry and physics of dyes, pigments and their intermediates. Emphasis is placed on the properties of the colouring matters themselves rather than on their applications or the system in which they may be applied. Thus the journal accepts research and review papers on the synthesis of dyes, pigments and intermediates, their physical or chemical properties, e.g. spectroscopic, surface, solution or solid state characteristics, the physical aspects of their preparation, e.g. precipitation, nucleation and growth, crystal formation, liquid crystalline characteristics, their photochemical, ecological or biological properties and the relationship between colour and chemical constitution. However, papers are considered which deal with the more fundamental aspects of colourant application and of the interactions of colourants with substrates or media. The journal will interest a wide variety of workers in a range of disciplines whose work involves dyes, pigments and their intermediates, and provides a platform for investigators with common interests but diverse fields of activity such as cosmetics, reprographics, dye and pigment synthesis, medical research, polymers, etc.