Visible Light Excitable Zn2+ Fluorescent Sensor Derived from an Intramolecular Charge Transfer Fluorophore and Its in Vitro and in Vivo Application

The UV- and sensor-induced interferences to living systems pose a barrier for in vivo Zn2+ imaging. In this work, an intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) fluorophore of smaller aromatic plane, 4-amino-7-nitro-2,1,3-benzoxadiazole, was adopted to construct visible light excited fluorescent Zn2+ sensor, NBD-TPEA. This sensor demonstrates a visible ICT absorption band, a large Stokes shift, and biocompatibility. It emits weakly (Φ = 0.003) without pH dependence at pH 7.1−10.1, and the λex and λem are 469 (ε469 = 2.1 × 104 M−1 cm−1) and 550 nm, respectively. The NBD-TPEA displays distinct selective Zn2+-amplified fluorescence (Φ = 0.046, ε469 = 1.4 × 104 M−1 cm−1) with emission shift from 550 to 534 nm, which can be ascribed to the synergic Zn2+ coordination by the outer bis(pyridin-2-ylmethyl)amine (BPA) and 4-amine. The Zn2+ binding ratio of NBD-TPEA is 1:1. By comparison with its analogues NBD-BPA and NBD-PMA, which have no Zn2+ affinity, the outer BPA in NBD-TPEA should be responsible for the Zn2+-induced photoinduced electron transfer blockage as well as for the enhanced Zn2+ binding ability of 4-amine. Successful intracellular Zn2+ imaging on living cells with NBD-TPEA staining exhibited a preferential accumulation at lysosome and Golgi with dual excitability at either 458 or 488 nm. The intact in vivo Zn2+ fluorescence imaging on zebrafish embryo or larva stained with NBD-TPEA revealed two zygomorphic luminescent areas around its ventricle which could be related to the Zn2+ storage for the zebrafish development. Moreover, high Zn2+ concentration in the developing neuromasters of zebrafish can be visualized by confocal fluorescence imaging. This study demonstrates a novel strategy to construct visible light excited Zn2+ fluorescent sensor based on ICT fluorophore other than xanthenone analogues. Current data show that NBD-TPEA staining can be a reliable approach for the intact in vivo Zn2+ imaging of zebrafish larva as well as for the clarification of subcellular distribution of Zn2+ in vitro.