Development of a New Hydrogen Sulfide Fluorescent Probe Based on Coumarin–Chalcone Fluorescence Platform and Its Imaging Application

Abstract

Hydrogen sulfide (H2S), as one of the critical gaseous signaling molecules, has important physiological functions in the human body, and abnormal levels of hydrogen sulfide are closely related to tumors, Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, and other diseases. In order to enable the detection of H2S in the physiological environment, herein, a new H2S fluorescence probe, named C-HS, based on a coumarin–chalcone fluorescence platform was developed. The fluorescence probe provides specific recognition of H2S within a wide pH detection range (5.5–8.5), a rapid recognition response (within 10 min) for H2S molecules, and a high selectivity for competing species. The probe C-HS possesses low cytotoxicity and is used to achieve the detection of exogenous/ endogenous H2S in living cells, indicating that the constructed probe C-HS has the ability to track changes in intracellular H2S levels. Therefore, probe C-HS could be a potential tool for the early diagnosis of H2S-related diseases.