Construction of a coumarin-based fluorescent probe for accurately visualizing hydrogen sulfide in live cells and zebrafish

Abstract

Hydrogen sulfide (H₂S), an important gas signaling molecule, is a regulator of many physiological processes, and its abnormal levels are closely related to the onset and progression of disease. It is vital to develop methods for specific tracking of H₂S in clinical diagnosis and treatment. In this study, we designed an ultrasensitive and highly stable coumarin-based fluorescent probe Cou-H₂S. Through the H₂S-initiated tandem reaction, Cou-H₂S successfully achieved highly selective and super-fast detection of H₂S. Cou-H₂S was successfully applied to the monitoring of endogenous and exogenous H₂S at the cellular level and verified the validity of the detection of H₂S in the LPS-induced zebrafish model. Therefore, Cou-H₂S might provide new insights into the study of H₂S-related diseases.