Selective interactions of concanavalin A at lipid membranes on the surface of an optical fiber

An optical configuration was developed for sampling fluorescence coupled into an optical fiber from evanescent wave excitation of fluorescent materials at a lipid membrane on a quartz fiber surface. Selective interactions of pyrene-labelled concanavalin A located on a phosphatidyl choline-cholesterol lipid membrane with fluorescein isothiocyanate-labelled dextran in bulk aqueous solution were monitored by the intrinsic fluorescence sensing configuration. Monosialoganglioside, G(M1), was employed as a receptor in a phospholipid membrane on an optical fiber for selective measurement of pyrene-labelled concanavalin A in solution. Quantitative measurement was hindered by non-selective adsorption of cancanavalin A, but the potential for use of a lipid membrane in a fluorometric biosensor was established.     

A Surface Fluorescent Sensing Membrane for Rapid Detection of Sodium

Abstract

A sensitive fluorescent sensing membrane has been developed for the rapid detection of sodium ions by immobilizing the membrane onto a glass slide surface. The membrane consists of a fluorophore, an ionophore, a plasticizer, and an anionic site of a lipophilic salt in a polyvinyl chloride (PVC) matrix. Based on the ion‐exchange response and photoinduced electron transfer mechanisms, the ionophore first captures target sodium ions from the solution into the membrane, and then the fluorophore emits a fluorescent signal based on the amount of sodium ions captured. To effectively transmit the signal and avoid the leaching of the fluorophore from the membrane, a newly synthesized fluorescent compound was used as a fluorophore in the fabrication of the membrane. Due to the special structure of the fluorophore, it remains trapped inside the membrane and thus gives a reliable fluorescent signal when sodium ions exist in the solution. Calix[4]arene tetraester acts as a sodium ion carrier, the crown size in its molecular structure is compatible with the sodium ionic size, making the membrane highly selective to sodium ions. Furthermore, the membrane demonstrates a rapid response to sodium ions—less than 1 min is required to reach a stable fluorescent signal. The sodium content in various real samples, such as mineral water, urine, and serum, were determined by the sensing membrane. The results highly correlate with the atomic absorption spectrometry method, confirming the validity of the fluorescent sensing membrane for sodium ion detection.     

Immobilizing a Fluorescent Dye Offers Potential to Investigate the Glass/Resin Interface

Silane coupling agents are commonly applied to glass fibers to promote fiber/resin adhesion and enhance durability in composite parts. In this study, a coupling agent multilayer on glass was doped with trace levels of the dimethylaminonitrostilbene (DMANS) fluorophore. The fluorophore was immobilized on the glass surface by tethering the molecule to a triethoxy silane coupling agent, creating the DMANS/silane coupling agent molecule (DMSCA). DMSCA was then diluted with commonly used coupling agents and grafted to a glass microscope coverslip to create a model composite interface. A 53-nm blue shift in fluorescence from the immobilized DMSCA can be followed during cure of an epoxy resin overlayer, giving this technique potential to monitor the properties of the fiber/resin interface during composite processing. Contact angle measurements on these coupling agent layers were similar in the presence or absence of the DMSCA molecule, suggesting that trace levels of the fluorescent probe did not affect the structure of the layer. The immobilized DMSCA molecule behaved similarly to the DMANS precursor in solution. Both showed longer wavelength fluorescence in more polar environments. Copyright 2000 Academic Press.     

Synthesis and Fluorescent Performance of Fluorescein-functionalized Waterborne Polyurethane

A novel yellow fluorescent diisocyanate 3,6-di(hexamethylene urethano)spiro[xanthene-9,3′-phthalide] diisocyanate (DIX) was synthesized by the reaction of fluorescein with hexamethylene diisocyanate first. Using DIX to substitute partially isophorone diisocyanate (IPDI), a kind of yellow fluorescent waterborne polyurethane DIX-WPU was prepared by blocking the fluorophore of DIX into the polyurethane chain using IPDI, polytetramethylene ether glycol and 2,2-dimethylol propionic acid. The molecular structure of DIX and DIX-WPU was confirmed by means of Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The fluorophore is fixed permanently in the polyurethane chain and is difficult to migrate due to the covalent bonding with other component during the synthesis. The fluorescence intensity of DIX-WPU fluorescent dispersion was enhanced greatly comparing with that of fluorescein in a wide range of fluorophore content between 1 × 10^–7 and 1 × 10^–3 mol/L. The fluorescence of DIX-WPU dispersion is very stable not only for the long term storage but also for the fluorescence quencher. It was found that the fluorescence intensity of DIX-WPU increased with the increase of temperature.     

Design of Ratiometric Fluorescent Probes Based on Arene–Metal‐Ion Interactions and Their Application to CdII and Hydrogen Sulfide Imaging in Living Cells

Non‐coordinative interactions between a metal ion and the aromatic ring of a fluorophore can act as a versatile sensing mechanism for the detection of metal ions with a large emission change of fluorophores. We report the design of fluorescent probes based on arene–metal‐ion interactions and their biological applications. This study found that various probes having different fluorophores and metal binding units displayed significant emission redshift upon complexation with metal ions, such as Ag^I, Cd^II, Hg^II, and Pb^II. X‐ray crystallography of the complexes confirmed that the metal ions were held in close proximity to the fluorophore to form an arene–metal‐ion interaction. Electronic structure calculations based on TDDFT offered a theoretical basis for the sensing mechanism, thus showing that metal ions electrostatically modulate the energy levels of the molecular orbitals of the fluorophore. A fluorescent probe was successfully applied to the ratiometric detection of the uptake of Cd^II ions and hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) in living cells. These results highlight the utility of interactions between arene groups and metal ions in biological analyses.     

Femtogram Detection of Explosive Nitroaromatics: Fluoranthene‐Based Fluorescent Chemosensors

Herein we report a novel fluoranthene‐based fluorescent fluorophore 7,10‐bis(4‐bromophenyl)‐8,9‐bis[4‐(hexyloxy)phenyl]fluoranthene ( S₃ ) and its remarkable properties in applications of explosive detection. The sensitivity towards the detection of nitroaromatics (NACs) was evaluated through fluorescence quenching in solution, vapor, and contact mode approaches. The contact mode approach using thin‐layer silica chromatograp‐ hic plates exhibited a femtogram (1.15 fg cm^?2) detection limit for trinitrotoluene (TNT) and picric acid (PA), whereas the solution‐phase quenching showed PA detection at the 2–20 ppb level. Fluorescence lifetime measurements revealed that the quenching is static in nature and the quenching process is fully reversible. Binding energies between model binding sites of the S₃ and analyte compounds reveal that analyte molecules enter into the cavity created by substituted phenyl rings of fluoranthene and are stabilized by strong intermolecular interactions with alkyl chains. It is anticipated that the sensor S₃ could be a promising material for the construction of portable optical devices for the detection of onsite explosive nitroaromatics.     

Polymer nanoparticles as fluorescent labels in a fluoroimmunoassay for human chorionic gonadotropin

A sensitive fluoroimmunoassay (FIA) was developed for the determination of human chorionic gonadotropin (β-HCG). It is based on fluorescent polymer nanoparticles (PFNPs) coated with anti-β-HCG monoclonal antibodies in a sandwich type of fluoroimmunoassay. The PFNPs were synthesized by precipitation polymerization using methacrylic acid (MAA) as the monomer, trimethylolpropane trimethacrylate as the cross-linker, azobisisobutyronitrile as the radical initiator, and fluorescein as the fluorophore. Anti-β-HCG monoclonal antibody was labeled with the PFNPs and then used in a FIA of β-HCG in human serum samples using low-fluorescent transparent 96-well microtiter plates. The calibration graph for β-HCG is linear over the range from 1.25 to 300 mIU mL-¹ with a detection limit of 0.3 mIU mL-¹ (3σ). The relative standard deviation for seven parallel measurements of 10 mIU mL-¹ of β-HCG is 3.8%. The method has the specificity of an immunoassay and the sensitivity of fluorescent nanoparticle label technology.     

Synthesis of optically active 2,7-disubstituted naphthalene derivatives and evaluation of their enantioselective recognition ability

The palladium-catalyzed amination was used to synthesize 2,7-diamino derivatives of naphthalene containing two chiral substituents and fluorophore groups (dansyl, 7-methoxycoumarin, 6,7-dimethoxycoumarin, 6-aminoquinoline). The synthesized compounds were studied by UV absorption and fluorescence spectroscopy in the presence of individual enantiomers of amino alcohols and salts of 21 metals. The possibility of using these compounds as fluorescent detectors for optically active compounds and metals was examined. In the presence of (S)-leucinol, the diquinoline derivative showed enhanced emission with a maximum at shorter wavelengths, which is not typical of its (R) isomer. This fact can be used for the recognition of these enantiomers. A number of naphthalene derivatives can be considered as potential fluorescent chemosensors for Cu^II cations due to the total fluorescence quenching in the presence of this metal.

     

Hg sensing in aqueous solutions: an intramolecular charge transfer emission quenching fluorescent chemosensors

Compounds 4a and 4b, comprising an anthracene moiety as the fluorophore and a pair of dithiocarbamate functionalities as ligating groups, were designed as fluorescent chemosensors for Hg(II). In aqueous solvent systems, upon excitation, in addition to the normal emission bands of locally excited (LE) state of anthracene, both compounds show a prominent pH-independent intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) emissive band, which can be modulated by Hg²⁺ binding. The systems can be exploited to develop a fluorescent sensitive probe for Hg²⁺.     

An Optical-Fiber Sensor for Colchicine Using Photo-Polymerized N-Vinylcarbazole

An optical-fiber sensor for colchicine has been fabricated. It is based on the use of the fluorescent dye N-vinylcarbazole, which contains a vinyl unit making it photo-copolymerizable in the presence of a monomer, 1,2-cyclohexanediol diacrylate, on a quartz surface of an optode slide. Prior to the photo-polymerization process the quartz surface was modified with -(methacryloxy)propyl trimethoxysilane to introduce vinyl units. A dye-incorporating optode membrane tightly immobilized on the quartz surface was prepared in this way. The spectral characteristics of the optode for sensing colchicines were evaluated, and the response mechanism was discussed. The optode membrane has a relatively long lifetime and short response and recovering time. The linear range of determining colchicine is from 1.0×10^–6 to 4.0×10^–3molL^–1. The sensor was applied to determine the colchicine content in pharmaceutical tablets the results of which agreed with those obtained by the pharmacopoeia method.Received December 12, 2002; accepted March 25, 2003 Published online July 16, 2003     

Novel multicolor fluorescently labeled silica nanoparticles for interface fluorescence resonance energy transfer to and from labeled avidin

Fluorescent silica nanoparticles (SiNPs) were prepared by covalent attachment of fluorophores to the amino-modified surface of SiNPs with a typical diameter of 15 nm. The SiNPs are intended for use in novel kinds of fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET)-based affinity assays at the interface between nanoparticle and sample solution. Various labels were employed to obtain a complete set of colored SiNPs, with excitation maxima ranging from 337 to 659 nm and emission maxima ranging from 436 nm to the near infrared (710 nm). The nanoparticles were characterized in terms of size and composition using transmission electron microscopy, thermogravimetry, elemental analysis, and dynamic light scattering. The surface of the fluorescent SiNPs was biotinylated, and binding of labeled avidin to the surface was studied via FRET in two model cases. In the first, FRET occurs from the biotinylated fluorescent SiNP (the donor) to the labeled avidin (the acceptor). In the second, FRET occurs in the other direction. Aside from its use in the biotin–avidin system, such SiNPs also are believed to be generally useful fluorescent markers in various kinds of FRET assays, not the least because the fluorophore is located on the surface of the SiNPs (and thus always much closer to the second fluorophore) rather than being doped deep in its interior.     

Complete suppression of the fluorophore fluorescence by combined effect of multiple fluorescence quenching groups: A fluorescent sensor for Cu with zero background signals

The reaction-based fluorescent sensors have attracted increasing attention in the past decades. However, the application of these sensors for accurate sensing was significantly retarded by the background fluorescence from the sensors themselves. In this work, we demonstrated a novel strategy that the background fluorescence of the sensor could be completely eliminated by the combined effect of multiple fluorescence quenching groups. Based on this new strategy, as proof-of-principle study, a fluorescent sensor (CuFS) for Cu²⁺ was judiciously developed. In CuFS, three types of fluorescence quenching groups were directly tethered to a commonly used coumarin fluorophore. The fluorescence of coumarin fluorophore in CuFS was completely suppressed by the combined effect of these fluorescence quenching groups. Upon treatment with 22 μM Cu²⁺, sensor CuFS achieved a dramatic fluorescence enhancement (fluorescence intensity enhanced up to 811-fold) centered at 469 nm. The detection limits was determined to be 12.3 nM. The fluorescence intensity enhancement also showed a good linearity with the Cu²⁺ concentration in the range of 12.3 nM to 2 μM. By fabricating test strips, sensor CuFS can be utilized as a simple tool to detect Cu²⁺ in water samples. Furthermore, the fluorescent sensor was successfully applied in detecting different concentration of Cu²⁺ in living cells.     

Fluorescence sensor for nitrofurazone using 4-methyl-7-allyloxynaphtho[1,2-b]pyran-2-ketone as sensing carrier

4-methyl-7-allyloxynaphtho[1,2-b]pyran-2-ketone (MANPK), a naphthopyran derivative, was synthesized as a fluorescent carrier for the preparation of an optical chemical sensor for nitrofurazone. To prevent the leakage of the fluorophore, MANPK with a terminal double bond was photo-copolymerized with 2-hydroxypropyl methacrylate on the silanized glass surface. The response of the sensor is based on fluorescence quenching of MANPK by nitrofurazone. The sensor shows sufficient reproducibility, selectivity and a long lifetime. Nitrofurazone can be determined in the range from 6.0 × 10⁻⁶ to 8.0 × 10⁻⁴ M with a detection limit of 4.5 × 10⁻⁶ M at pH 6.0. The sensor has been applied to the direct determination of nitrofurazone in pharmaceutical preparations and urine samples.     

Label-free and enzyme-free sensitive fluorescent detection of human immunodeficiency virus deoxyribonucleic acid based on hybridization chain reaction

A label-free and enzyme-free sensitive fluorescent detection of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) based on isothermal hybridization chain reaction (HCR) was developed. A G-quadruplex sequence which was incorporated into one of the two hairpin probes was inactive in the absence of target DNA. However, at the presence of target DNA numerous G-quadruplexes along DNA nanowires were self-assembled through HCR. Using N-methyl mesoporphyrin IX (NMM) as the fluorophore, a “turn-on” fluorescent response would be achieved and detected as low as 0.5 nmol L⁻¹ of HIV DNA. This proposed method was applied to detect HIV DNA in biologic samples with satisfactory results.     

Noninvasive optical characterization of hydrogels

This paper presents results based on concentration quenching of fluorescence polarization (cqfp), which demonstrate the feasibility of using cqfp to measure changes in hydrogel-membrane hydration. This is accomplished by binding fluorescent molecules to the hydrogel matrix, and showing that the fluorescence polarization is a monotonic function of fluorophore concentration. Films based on crosslinked 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate containing lissamine side groups (10⁻⁴-10⁻⁷ mol/l) were mounted in a special cell which provided an aqueous environment, and in which polarized fluorescence could be measured. An argon-ion laser provided polarized excitation at 488nm, and the polarized fluorescent emission was detected. The correlation between the fluorescence polarization and the bound dye concentration was found to correspond to the theoretically expected behavior.     

Fluorescent Hydroxylamine Derived from the Fragmentation of PAMAM Dendrimers for Intracellular Hypochlorite Recognition

Herein, a promising sensing approach based on the structure fragmentation of poly(amidoamine) (PAMAM) dendrimers for the selective detection of intracellular hypochlorite (OCl^?) is reported. PAMAM dendrimers were easily disrupted by a cascade of oxidations in the tertiary amines of the dendritic core to produce an unsaturated hydroxylamine with blue fluorescence. Specially, the novel fluorophore was only sensitive to OCl^?, one of reactive oxygen species (ROS), resulting in an irreversible fluorescence turn‐off. The fluorescent hydroxylamine was selectively oxidised by OCl^? to form a labile oxoammonium cation that underwent further degradation. Without using any troublesomely synthetic steps, the novel sensing platform based on the fragmentation of PAMAM dendrimers, can be applied to detect OCl^? in macrophage cells. The results suggest that the sensing approach may be useful for the detection of intracellular OCl^? with minimal interference from biological matrixes.     

Hydrogen‐Bond and Supramolecular‐Contact Mediated Fluorescence Enhancement of Electrochromic Azomethines

An electronic push–pull fluorophore consisting of an intrinsically fluorescent central fluorene capped with two diaminophenyl groups was prepared. An aminothiophene was conjugated to the two flanking diphenylamines through a fluorescent quenching azomethine bond. X‐ray crystallographic analysis confirmed that the fluorophore formed multiple intermolecular supramolecular bonds. It formed two hydrogen bonds involving a terminal amine, resulting in an antiparallel supramolecular dimer. Hydrogen bonding was also confirmed by FTIR and NMR spectroscopic analyses, and further validated theoretically by DFT calculations. Intrinsic fluorescence quenching modes could be reduced by intermolecular supramolecular contacts. These contacts could be engaged at high concentrations and in thin films, resulting in fluorescence enhancement. The fluorescence of the fluorophore could also be restored to an intensity similar to its azomethine‐free counterpart with the addition of water in >50 % v/v in tetrahydrofuran (THF), dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), and acetonitrile. The fluorophore also exhibited reversible oxidation and its color could be switched between yellow and blue when oxidized. Reversible electrochemically mediated fluorescence turn‐off on turn‐on was also possible.     

A novel ratiometric sensor for the fast detection of palladium species with large red-shift and high resolution both in aqueous solution and solid state

A highly selective fluorescent probe (OHBT) was designed and synthesized by linking the ESIPT fluorophore N-(3-(benzo[d]thiazol-2-yl)-4-(hydroxyphenyl) benzamide) (HBTBC) to the palladium specificity response group, allyl group, for the detection of palladium species in aqueous solution. The allyl group can be hydrolyzed by Pd⁰ species through the Pd⁰-catalyzed Tsuji–Trost reaction and thus release the fluorophore HBTBC, which shows two emission bands. The maximum emission spectra originated from the enol and keto forms at 415 and 555 nm respectively and with no overlap, which implies the high resolution of the palladium detection. The palladium species can also be detected by paper strip because of the solid-state fluorescence of probe HOBT catalyzed by palladium. This method was successfully applied in the palladium related Suzuki–Miyaura coupling reaction and the detection limit is lower than 1 μM.     

Optical Sensing of Cesium Using 1,3-Alternate Calix[4]-mono- and Di(anthrylmethyl)aza-crown-6

We have synthesized two derivatives of alkylanthracene covalently bonded to 1,3-alternate calix[4]aza-crown-6 at the nitrogen position to study the effect of alkali metal ion complexation on the emission properties of anthracene fluorophore. The mono- and dianthryl-substituted probes are weakly fluorescent because their emission is partially quenched by photoinduced electron transfer (PET) from the nitrogen lone pair to the excited singlet state of anthracene. Upon complexation of alkali metal ions (e.g. K⁺, Cs⁺) by the crown moiety, the nitrogen lone pair can no longer participate in the PET process causing an enhancement in the emission of anthracene fluorophore (fluorescent turn on). The maximum fluorescence enhancement observed upon complexation of cesium ions by mono- and dianthryl-substituted calix[4]aza-crown-6 relative to the uncomplexed form was 8.5- and 11.6-fold, respectively.     

Synthesis and photophysical properties of a fluorescent TREN-type ligand incorporating the coumarin chromophore and its zinc complex

A new, UV-excited fluorescent Zn²⁺ indicator was synthesized and the spectral profile of its free and Zn²⁺ bound forms were studied. The fluorescent properties of this probe are due to the 7-amino-4-methylcoumarin fluorophore, which is conjugated with the tris(2-aminoethyl)amine (TREN) that functions as the zinc-chelating moiety. The compound exhibits a Zn²⁺ dissociation constant of 18.0 μM. The fluorescence spectra of the probe showed a clear shift in excitation wavelength maxima upon Zn²⁺ binding, indicating its potential use as ratiometric Zn²⁺ indicator.