Gasotransmitter Regulation of Phosphatase Activity in Live Cells Studied by Three‐Channel Imaging Correlation

Enzyme activity in live cells is dynamically regulated by small‐molecule transmitters for maintaining normal physiological functions. A few probes have been devised to measure intracellular enzyme activities by fluorescent imaging, but the study of the regulation of enzyme activity via gasotransmitters in situ remains a long‐standing challenge. Herein, we report a three‐channel imaging correlation by a single dual‐reactive fluorescent probe to measure the dependence of phosphatase activity on the H₂S level in cells. The two sites of the probe reactive to H₂S and phosphatase individually produce blue and green fluorescent responses, respectively, and resonance energy transfer can be triggered by their coexistence. Fluorescent analysis based on the three‐channel imaging correlation shows that cells have an ideal level of H₂S to promote phosphatase activity up to its maximum. Significantly, a slight deviation from this H₂S level leads to a sharp decrease of phosphatase activity. The discovery further strengthens our understanding of the importance of H₂S in cellular signaling and in various human diseases.     

FRET‐Based Mitochondria‐Targetable Dual‐Excitation Ratiometric Fluorescent Probe for Monitoring Hydrogen Sulfide in Living Cells

Hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) is connected with various physiological and pathological functions. However, understanding the important functions of H₂S remains challenging, in part because of the lack of tools for detecting endogenous H₂S. Herein, compounds Ratio‐H₂S 1/2 are the first FRET‐based mitochondrial‐targetable dual‐excitation ratiometric fluorescent probes for H₂S on the basis of H₂S‐promoted thiolysis of dinitrophenyl ether. With the enhancement of H₂S concentration, the excitation peak at λ≈402 nm of the phenolate form of the hydroxycoumarin unit drastically increases, whereas the excitation band centered at λ≈570 nm from rhodamine stays constant and can serve as a reference signal. Thus, the ratios of fluorescence intensities at λ=402 and 570 nm (I₄₀₂/I₅₇₀) exhibit a drastic change from 0.048 in the absence of H₂S to 0.36 in the presence of 180 μM H₂S; this is a 7.5‐fold variation in the excitation ratios. The favorable properties of the probe include the donor and acceptor excitation bands, which exhibit large excitation separations (up to 168 nm separation) and comparable excitation intensities, high sensitivity and selectivity, and function well at physiological pH. In addition, it is demonstrated that the probe can localize in the mitochondria and determine H₂S in living cells. It is expected that this strategy will lead to the development of a wide range of mitochondria‐targetable dual‐excitation ratiometric probes for other analytes with outstanding spectral features, including large separations between the excitation wavelengths and comparable excitation intensities.     

Colorimetric Carbonyl Sulfide (COS)/Hydrogen Sulfide (H2S) Donation from γ‐Ketothiocarbamate Donor Motifs

Hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) is a biologically active molecule that exhibits protective effects in a variety of physiological and pathological processes. Although several H₂S‐related biological effects have been discovered by using H₂S donors, knowing how much H₂S has been released from donors under different conditions remains challenging. Now, a series of γ‐ketothiocarbamate (γ‐KetoTCM) compounds that provide the first examples of colorimetric H₂S donors and enable direct quantification of H₂S release, were reported. These compounds are activated through a pH‐dependent deprotonation/β‐elimination sequence to release carbonyl sulfide (COS), which is quickly converted into H₂S by carbonic anhydrase. The p‐nitroaniline released upon donor activation provides an optical readout that correlates directly to COS/H₂S release, thus enabling colorimetric measurement of H₂S donation.     

Imaging of Colorectal Cancers Using Activatable Nanoprobes with Second Near‐Infrared Window Emission

Fluorescent probes in the second near‐infrared window (NIR‐II) allow high‐resolution bioimaging with deep‐tissue penetration. However, existing NIR‐II materials often have poor signal‐to‐background ratios because of the lack of target specificity. Herein, an activatable NIR‐II nanoprobe for visualizing colorectal cancers was devised. This designed probe displays H₂S‐activated ratiometric fluorescence and light‐up NIR‐II emission at 900–1300 nm. By using this activatable and target specific probe for deep‐tissue imaging of H₂S‐rich colon cancer cells, accurate identification of colorectal tumors in animal models were performed. It is anticipated that the development of activatable NIR‐II probes will find widespread applications in biological and clinical systems.     

Metal complexes with chloride and triazole‐based ligands: investigation of a well‐resolved up–up–down–down (uudd) cyclic water tetramer and X—H...Cl (X = O and C) hydrogen‐bonding interactions

The crystal structure of the title complex, trans‐dichloridotetrakis[1‐phenyl‐3‐(1H‐1,2,4‐triazol‐1‐yl‐κN⁴)propan‐1‐one]copper(II) hexahydrate, [CuCl₂(C₁₁H₁₁N₃O)₄]·6H₂O, is isomorphous with that of the corresponding nickel and cobalt compounds. The complex has crystallographic inversion symmetry with the Cu^II atom on an inversion centre. Each Cu^II atom is six‐coordinated by one N atom from each of the four 1‐phenyl‐3‐(1H‐1,2,4‐triazol‐1‐yl)propan‐1‐one ligands in the equatorial plane and by two chloride ligands in axial positions. The structure includes a centrosymmetric irregular up–up–down–down (uudd) water tetramer cluster and O—H...Cl hydrogen bonds. Intermolecular C—H...Cl hydrogen bonds exist between adjacent molecules, resulting in a three‐dimensional supramolecular network.     

A Persulfide Donor Responsive to Reactive Oxygen Species: Insights into Reactivity and Therapeutic Potential

Persulfides (RSSH) have been hypothesized as critical components in sulfur‐mediated redox cycles and as potential signaling compounds, similar to hydrogen sulfide (H₂S). Hindering the study of persulfides is a lack of persulfide‐donor compounds with selective triggers that release discrete persulfide species. Reported here is the synthesis and characterization of a ROS‐responsive (ROS=reactive oxygen species), self‐immolative persulfide donor. The donor, termed BDP‐NAC, showed selectivity towards H₂O₂ over other potential oxidative or nucleophilic triggers, resulting in the sustained release of the persulfide of N‐acetyl cysteine (NAC) over the course of 2 h, as measured by LCMS. Exposure of H9C2 cardiomyocytes to H₂O₂ revealed that BDP‐NAC mitigated the effects of a highly oxidative environment in a dose‐dependent manner over relevant controls and to a greater degree than common H₂S donors sodium sulfide (Na₂S) and GYY4137. BDP‐NAC also rescued cells more effectively than a non‐persulfide‐releasing control compound in concert with common H₂S donors and thiols.     

A comparative experimental and theoretical investigation of hydrogen‐bond,halogen‐bond and π–π interactions in the solid‐state supramolecular assembly of 2‐ and 4‐formylphenyl arylsulfonates

To explore the operational role of noncovalent interactions in supramolecular architectures with designed topologies, a series of solid‐state structures of 2‐ and 4‐formylphenyl 4‐substituted benzenesulfonates was investigated. The compounds are 2‐formylphenyl 4‐methylbenzenesulfonate, C₁₄H₁₂O₄S, 3a , 2‐formylphenyl 4‐chlorobenzenesulfonate, C₁₃H₉ClO₄S, 3b , 2‐formylphenyl 4‐bromobenzenesulfonate, C₁₃H₉BrO₄S, 3c , 4‐formylphenyl 4‐methylbenzenesulfonate, C₁₄H₁₂O₄S, 4a , 4‐formylphenyl 4‐chlorobenzenesulfonate, 4b , C₁₃H₉ClO₄S, and 4‐formylphenyl 4‐bromobenzenesulfonate, C₁₃H₉BrO₄S, 4c . The title compounds were synthesized under basic conditions from salicylaldehyde/4‐hydroxybenzaldehydes and various aryl sulfonyl chlorides. Remarkably, halogen‐bonding interactions are found to be important to rationalize the solid‐state crystal structures. In particular, the formation of O…X (X = Cl and Br) and type I X…X halogen‐bonding interactions have been analyzed by means of density functional theory (DFT) calculations and characterized using Bader's theory of `atoms in molecules' and molecular electrostatic potential (MEP) surfaces, confirming the relevance and stabilizing nature of these interactions. They have been compared to antiparallel π‐stacking interactions that are formed between the arylsulfonates.     

Two Zn(II)‐based meta‐organic frameworks: Selective detection of antibiotics and treatment activity on age‐related macular degeneration by reducing inflammasome activation

Via utilizing the mixed‐ligand method, two novel Zn(II)‐containing meta‐organic frameworks with the chemical formula of {[Zn(L)(5‐HIP)]·H₂O}_n ( 1 ) and [Zn(L)(2,6‐NDC)]_n ( 2 ) were prepared under the solvothermal conditions by applying aromatic dicarboxylic acids ligands (5‐H₂HIP = 5‐hydroxyisophthalic acid; 2,6‐H₂NDC = 2,6‐naphthalenedicarboxylic acid) and 1,4‐bis(benzimidazol‐1‐yl)‐2‐butylene (L). Due to its good water stability as well as the strong luminescent emission around room temperature, complex 2 has the high selectivity and sensibility of fluorescence detection to the ceftriaxone sodium (a kind of antibiotic) with the detection limit up to ppm lever. The treatment activity of the compounds on age‐related macular degeneration was assessed and the specific mechanism was investigated. First of all, the inflammasome activation in the endothelial cells of retina was evaluated with western blot. In addition to this, the down‐stream production of the inflammasome activation was also measured with ELISA detection kit.     

1‐[4‐(Methyl­sulfonyl)­phenyl]‐5‐phenyl‐1H‐pyrazole derivatives

Three related compounds containing a pyrazole moiety with vicinal phenyl rings featuring a methyl­sulfonyl substituent are described, namely 3‐methyl‐1‐[4‐(methyl­sulfonyl)­phenyl]‐5‐phenyl‐1H‐pyrazole, C₁₇H₁₆N₂O₂S, ethyl 1‐[4‐(methyl­sul­fonyl)­phenyl]‐5‐phenyl‐1H‐pyrazole‐3‐carboxyl­ate, C₁₉H₁₈N₂O₄S, and 1‐[4‐(methyl­sulfonyl)­phenyl]‐3‐[3‐(morpholino)­phenoxy­methyl]‐5‐phenyl‐1H‐pyrazole, C₂₇H₂₇N₃O₄S. The design of these compounds was based on celecoxib, a selective cyclo­oxy­genase‐2 (COX‐2) inhibitor, in order to study the influence of various substituents on COX‐2 and 5‐lipoxy­genase (5‐LOX) inhibition.     

Analysis of Environmental Pollutants Using a Piezoelectric Crystal Detector

Piezoelectric crystal detectors possess a good potential as sensors in Analytical Chemistry. Their specificity is excellent, provided a highly selective adsorbent layer is placed on the surface of the crystal. Sensitivity is also good, down to parts per trillion levels of atmospheric pollutants are detectable, with a large linear range up to parts per million.

Specific detectors have been developed for organophosphorus compounds, toluene in printing plants, dynamite and explosives, CO, SO₂, NO_x, NH₃, HCl and organochlorine compounds. Results on some of these detectors is presented herein.     

Chemoselective Alteration of Fluorophore Scaffolds as a Strategy for the Development of Ratiometric Chemodosimeters

Ratiometric sensors generally couple binding events or chemical reactions at a distal site to changes in the fluorescence of a core fluorophore scaffold. However, such approaches are often hindered by spectral overlap of the product and reactant species. We provide a strategy to design ratiometric sensors that display dramatic spectral shifts by leveraging the chemoselective reactivity of novel functional groups inserted within fluorophore scaffolds. As a proof‐of‐principle, fluorophores containing a borinate ( RF₆₂₀ ) or silanediol ( SiOH2R ) functionality at the bridging position of the xanthene ring system are developed as endogenous H₂O₂ sensors. Both these fluorophores display far‐red to near‐infrared excitation and emission prior to reaction. Upon oxidation by H₂O₂ both sensors are chemically converted to tetramethylrhodamine, producing significant (≥66 nm) blue‐shifts in excitation and emission maxima. This work provides a new concept for the development of ratiometric probes.     

Design Rules for Nanogap‐Based Hydrogen Gas Sensors

Nanoscale gaps, which enable many research applications in fields such as chemical sensors, single‐electron transistors, and molecular switching devices, have been extensively investigated over the past decade and have witnessed the evolution of related technologies. Importantly, nanoscale gaps employed in hydrogen‐gas (H₂) sensors have been used to reversibly detect H₂ in an On–Off manner, and function as platforms for enhancing sensing performance. Herein, we review recent advances in nanogap design for H₂ sensors and deal with various strategies to create these gaps, including fracture generation by H₂ exposure, deposition onto prestructured patterns, island formation on a surface, artificial manipulation methods, methods using hybrid materials, and recent approaches using elastomeric substrates. Furthermore, this review discusses a new nanogap design that advances sensing capabilities in order to meet the diverse needs of academia and industry.     

Vinyl sulfones

Four neutral vinyl sulfones, two of which are paired with phosphonate groups, are described. The compounds are diisopropyl (2‐phenylethenylsulfonylmethyl)phosphonate, C₁₅H₂₃O₅PS, (I), diisopropyl {[2‐(7‐methoxy‐1,3‐benzodioxol‐5‐yl)ethenylsulfonyl]methylsulfonylmethyl}phosphonate, C₁₈H₂₇O₁₀PS₂, (II), bis(trans‐2‐phenylethenyl) sulfone, C₁₆H₁₄O₂S, (III), and bis(trans‐2‐phenylethenylsulfonyl)methane, C₁₇H₁₆O₄S₂, (IV). Their structures can be considered as highly functionalized mimics of mono‐, di‐ and triphosphates. These phosphate isosteres are currently of interest as agents for enzyme inhibition in both cancer and HIV therapy. All except one of the compounds has Z′ > 1. The lone exception is (IV), a disulfone with twofold crystallographic symmetry. Geometrically, the sulfone functionality is found to be a good mimic for phosphate. The principal effect of the vinyl group is to shorten the S—C(vinyl) distance relative to the S—CH₂ distance by ca 0.05 Å. The S—C—S and S—C—P backbones resemble the P—O—P backbone but are not identical because the S—C and P—C distances are longer than the P—O distance and the S—C—S and S—C—P angles are more acute than the P—O—P angle. No prior crystal structures of comparable compounds have been published.     

Nanostructures-based sensing strategies for hydrogen sulfide

Hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) is a very toxic, flammable, and harmful gas. It may be formed naturally or be released into the environment due to human activities. Exposure of humans to a high level of H₂S leads to many hazardous effects. On the other hand, H₂S is produced in vivo and it has many physiological actions as the third physiological gas transmitter. Therefore, it is crucial to develop sensitive, selective, and easily operated sensors to monitor H₂S in its two-sided nature as toxic gas and as a physiological gas transmitter. Recently, the revolution in nanotechnology has a great impact on the development of many sensing techniques that adopt nanosensors for the detection of H₂S. Herein, we abridged the nanostructure-based electrochemical and optical sensors for H₂S in different matrices with a special emphasis on their advantages and applications. A discussion of the sensing mechanisms and the analytical features are also addressed. Finally, the future perspectives and recommended trends for H₂S detection are discussed.     

H2S Sensors: Fumarate‐Based fcu‐MOF Thin Film Grown on a Capacitive Interdigitated Electrode

Herein we report the fabrication of an advanced sensor for the detection of hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) at room temperature, using thin films of rare‐earth metal (RE)‐based metal–organic framework (MOF) with underlying fcu topology. This unique MOF‐based sensor is made via the in situ growth of fumarate‐based fcu ‐MOF (fum‐ fcu ‐MOF) thin film on a capacitive interdigitated electrode. The sensor showed a remarkable detection sensitivity for H₂S at concentrations down to 100 ppb, with the lower detection limit around 5 ppb. The fum‐ fcu ‐MOF sensor exhibits a highly desirable detection selectivity towards H₂S vs. CH₄, NO₂, H₂, and C₇H₈ as well as an outstanding H₂S sensing stability as compared to other reported MOFs.     

Quantum chemistry investigation of electronic structure and NMR spectral characteristics for fluorides of dialkylamidosulfoxylic acids and related compounds

The parent (H₂N? S? F) and N,N‐dialkyl‐substituted fluorides of amidosulfoxylic acid (R₂N? S? F, R?Me or R₂N?Morph) as well as the related compounds X? S? F (X?CH₃, OH, F, SiH₃, PH₂, SH, Cl) have been investigated with quantum chemical calculations at the ab initio (MP2) level of approximation. The geometries, electronic structures, molecular orbital (MO) energies and NMR chemical shift values have been calculated to evaluate the role and extent of the polarization and delocalization effects in forming of the high‐field fluorine NMR resonances within the series of interest. The δF magnitudes for all investigated fluorides of amidosulfoxylic acid as well as the δN value calculated for Me₂N? S? F are in the good agreement with the ¹⁹F and ¹⁴N NMR chemical shift values measured experimentally. For the parent compounds, H₂N? S? F and H₂N? SO₂? F, the orientation of principal axes of the magnetic shielding tensors and the corresponding principal σ_ii values along these axes have been qualitatively interpreted basing on the analysis of the MO interactions in the presence of the rotating magnetic field. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Hydrogen Sulfide Donors Activated by Reactive Oxygen Species

Hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) exhibits promising protective effects in many (patho)physiological processes, as evidenced by recent reports using synthetic H₂S donors in different biological models. Herein, we report the design and evaluation of compounds denoted PeroxyTCM, which are the first class of reactive oxygen species (ROS)‐triggered H₂S donors. These donors are engineered to release carbonyl sulfide (COS) upon activation, which is quickly hydrolyzed to H₂S by the ubiquitous enzyme carbonic anhydrase (CA). The donors are stable in aqueous solution and do not release H₂S until triggered by ROS, such as hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂), superoxide (O₂^?), and peroxynitrite (ONOO^?). We demonstrate ROS‐triggered H₂S donation in live cells and also demonstrate that PeroxyTCM‐1 provides protection against H₂O₂‐induced oxidative damage, suggesting potential future applications of PeroxyTCM and similar scaffolds in H₂S‐related therapies.     

Proton‐Conductive 3D LnIII Metal–Organic Frameworks for Formic Acid Impedance Sensing

Metal‐organic frameworks (MOFs) as new classes of proton‐conducting materials have been highlighted in recent years. Nevertheless, the exploration of proton‐conducting MOFs as formic acid sensors is extremely lacking. Herein, we prepared two highly stable 3D isostructural lanthanide(III) MOFs, {(M(μ₃‐HPhIDC)(μ₂‐C₂O₄)_0.5(H₂O))?2 H₂O}_n (M=Tb ( ZZU‐1 ); Eu ( ZZU‐2 )) (H₃PhIDC=2‐phenyl‐1H‐imidazole‐4,5‐dicarboxylic acid), in which the coordinated and uncoordinated water molecules and uncoordinated imidazole N atoms play decisive roles for the high‐performance proton conduction and recognition ability for formic acid. Both ZZU‐1 and ZZU‐2 show temperature‐ and humidity‐dependent proton‐conducting characteristics with high conductivities of 8.95×10^?4 and 4.63×10^?4 S cm^‐1 at 98 % RH and 100 °C, respectively. Importantly, the impedance values of the two MOF‐based sensors decrease upon exposure to formic acid vapor generated from formic aqueous solutions at 25 °C with good reproducibility. By comparing the changes of impedance values, we can indirectly determine the concentration of HCOOH in aqueous solution. The results showed that the lowest detectable concentrations of formic acid aqueous solutions are 1.2×10^?2 mol L^?1 by ZZU‐1 and 2.0×10^?2 mol L^?1 by ZZU‐2 . Furthermore, the two sensors can distinguish formic acid vapor from interfering vapors including MeOH, N‐hexane, benzene, toluene, EtOH, acetone, acetic acid and butane. Our research provides a new platform of proton‐conductive MOFs‐based sensors for detecting formic acid.     

CuO–ZnO Micro/Nanoporous Array‐Film‐Based Chemosensors: New Sensing Properties to H2S

CuO–ZnO micro/nanoporous array‐films are synthesized by transferring a solution‐dipped self‐organized colloidal template onto a device substrate and sequent heat treatment. Their morphologies and structures are characterized by X‐ray diffraction, field‐emission scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and X‐ray photoelectron spectrum analysis. Based on the sensing measurement, it is found that the CuO–ZnO films prepared with the composition of [Cu²⁺]/[Zn²⁺]=0.005, 0.01, and 0.05 all show a nice sensitivity to 10 ppm H₂S. Interestingly, three different zones exist in the patterns of gas responses versus H₂S concentrations: a platform zone, a rapidly increasing zone, and a slowly increasing zone. Further experiments show that the hybrid CuO–ZnO porous film sensor exhibits shorter recovery time and better selectivity to H₂S gas against other interfering gases at a concentration of 10 ppm. These new sensing properties may be due to a depletion layer induced by p–n junction between p‐type CuO and n‐type ZnO and high chemical activity of CuO to H₂S. This work will provide a new construction route of ZnO‐based sensing materials, which can be used as H₂S sensors with high performances.     

O→S Relay Deprotection: A General Approach to Controllable Donors of Reactive Sulfur Species

Reactive sulfur species (RSS) are biologically important molecules. Among them, H₂S, hydrogen polysulfides (H₂S_n, n>1), persulfides (RSSH), and HSNO are believed to play regulatory roles in sulfur‐related redox biology. However, these molecules are unstable and difficult to handle. Having access to their reliable and controllable precursors (or donors) is the prerequisite for the study of these sulfur species. Reported in this work is the preparation and evaluation of a series of O‐silyl‐mercaptan‐based sulfur‐containing molecules which undergo pH‐ or F^?‐mediated desilylation to release the corresponding H₂S, H₂S_n, RSSH, and HSNO in a controlled fashion. This O→S relay deprotection serves as a general strategy for the design of pH‐ or F^?‐triggered RSS donors. Moreover, we have demonstrated that the O‐silyl groups in the donors could be changed into other protecting groups like esters. This work should allow the development of RSS donors with other activation mechanisms (such as esterase‐activated donors).