A responsive fluorescent probe for detecting and imaging pyruvate kinase M2 in live cells

In this study, we designed and tested fluorescent probe zy-2 for specific and responsive imaging of pyruvate kinase M2 (PKM2), which can be excited by 419 nm light. A 17-fold enhancement in the responsive emission upon zy-2's binding to PKM2 was observed, imaging of which was successfully recorded in a time- and concentration-dependent manner in PKM2-positive cells. Thus, we obtained a responsive fluorescent probe for the specific and sensitive detection of PKM2, which is innovative in design and applicable to the detection of cancer cells.