Development of a Two-photon Ratiometric Fluorescent Probe for Glutathione and Its Applications in Living Cells

Glutathione(GSH), as the most abundant intracellular biothiol, plays an important role in the redox homeostasis of the organism. Abnormal concentrations of GSH in cells may lead to many malignant diseases, such as cancer, liver damage and neurodegenerative diseases. It is urgent to develop effective methods to detect GSH in living organisms. In this work, a new two-photon ratiometric fluorescent probe Co-GSH based on the coumarinchalcone dye platform was judiciously developed. Based on the Michael-addition reaction, Co-GSH was able to identify GSH with high selectivity and sensitivity. Furthermore, assisted by laser-scanning confocal microscopy, Co-GSH could specifically response GSH over the other biothiols, including Cys and Hcy, in living HeLa cells by using one- and two-photon modes.