A Luminescence Turn-On Assay for Acetylcholinesterase Activity and Inhibitor Screening Based on Supramolecular Self-Assembly of Alkynylplatinum(II) Complexes on Coordination Polymer

A new approach toward acetylcholinesterase (AChE) detection has been demonstrated based on the electrostatic interactions between anionic alkynylplatinum(II) complex molecules and cationic coordination polymer, together with the spectroscopic and emission characteristics of alkynylplatinum(II) complexes upon supramolecular self-assembly. This process involves strengthening of distinct noncovalent Pt(II)···Pt(II) and π-π stacking interactions, which is evidenced by UV-vis absorption, emission, and resonance light scattering results. Such a method has been applied to AChE inhibitor screening, which is important as the demand for AChE inhibitor assays arises along with the drug development for Alzheimer's disease. It affords an emission turn-on response and operates in a continuous and label-free fashion. The low-energy red emission and large Stokes shift of alkynylplatinum(II) complexes are advantageous to biological applications.