A cyanine-based colorimetric and fluorescence probe for detection of hydrogen sulfide in vivo

This paper describes a cyanine-based colorimetric and fluorescence probe for the sensitive and selective detection of hydrogen sulfide (H2S). The mechanism of H2S detection is based on the reaction of hydrosulfide anion with a disulfide bond. The resulting product of the reaction of the probe with hydrogen sulfide can be detected in a colorimetric assay as it changes a color of the reaction mixture from green to pink in aqueous solutions. Simultaneously, a 25-fold increase in the fluorescence signal of the probe upon its interaction with hydrogen sulfide gives a unique opportunity for the usage of this probe for in vivo detection of H2S. In addition, the present study demonstrates a potential of the newly developed chemosensor for the detection of increased concentrations of H2S in insect cells and alive C.elegans.