A turn-on fluorescence probe for imaging tyrosinase at the wound site in broken tail of zebrafish

Tyrosinase (TYR) is a copper-containing oxidase that affects the synthesis of melanin in the human body, which is regulate to the pigmentation of the skin. Nevertheless, abnormal expression of TYR can lead to albinism, vitiligo and other skin diseases. Excessive accumulation of TYR is a marker of melanoma cancer and an important factor leading to pigmentation during wound healing, freckles and browning of fruits and vegetables. Efficient tracking of TYR is of significance for studying its pathophysiological mechanism. Herein, we synthesized a benzindole-based fluorescent probe Pro-OH to detect TYR in living cells and zebrafish. The probe displayed a high selectivity and sensitivity in distinguishing TYR from other analytes with the low detection limit of 1.024 U/mL. Importantly, Pro-OH was successfully used to imagine TYR at the wound site of broken tail of zebrafish.