An activatable red emitting fluorescent probe for monitoring vicinal dithiol protein fluctuations in a stroke model

Vicinal dithiol proteins (VDPs) facilitate cellular redox homeostasis, modulate protein synthesis and participate in post-translational modifications through the dynamic equilibrium of dithiol and disulfide bonds. Herein, an activatable red emitting fluorescent probe, VDP-red, is developed for detecting VDPs. With the aid of this probe, we have discovered for the first time a reduction in the levels of reduced VDPs in a stroke mouse model. This work provides a fresh viewpoint for understanding stroke mechanisms.