Hydrophobic-carbon-dot-based dual-emission micelle for ratiometric fluorescence biosensing and imaging of Cu2+ in liver cells

Publication date: 15 June 2017
Source:Biosensors and Bioelectronics, Volume 92
Author(s): Linlin Lu, Chongchong Feng, Jie Xu, Fengyang Wang, Haijun Yu, Zhiai Xu, Wen Zhang
Copper is closely related to liver damage, therefore, it is essential to develop a simple and sensitive strategy to detect copper ions (Cu²⁺) in liver cells. A hydrophobic carbon dots (HCDs)-based dual-emission fluorescent probe for Cu²⁺ was prepared by encapsulating HCDs in micelles formed by self-assembly of amphiphilic polymer DSPE-PEG and tetrakis (4-carboxyphenyl) porphyrin (TCPP)-modified DSPE-PEG. The obtained probe showed characteristic fluorescence emissions of HCDs and TCPP with large emission shift of 170nm with single-wavelength excitation. In the presence of Cu²⁺, the fluorescence of TCPP was quenched and that of HCDs remained unchanged, displaying ratiometric fluorescence response to Cu²⁺. The developed probe exhibited high sensitivity (detection limit down to 36nM) and selectivity to Cu²⁺ over other substances, and the probe was used to image the changes of Cu²⁺ level in liver cells successfully.



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