A sensitive fluorescent nanoprobe for sulfatase detection and imaging in living cells and in vivo

In this study, we developed a fluorescent probe TCF-SULF for sulfatase detection with satisfactory selectivity and sensitivity. After being encapsulated by the DSPE-PEG₂₀₀₀, the nanoprobe TCF-SULF NPs can be applied to imaging endogenous sulfatase in MCF-7 cells with low cytotoxicity. Importantly, TCF-SULF NPs were successfully used to monitor sulfatase in vivo.