Bifunctional fluorescent probes for detection of amyloid aggregates and reactive oxygen species

Abstract

Protein aggregation into amyloid deposits and oxidative stress are key features of many neurodegenerative disorders including Parkinson's and Alzheimer's disease. We report here the creation of four highly sensitive bifunctional fluorescent probes, capable of H$_2$O$_2$ and/or amyloid aggregate detection. These bifunctional sensors use a benzothiazole core for amyloid localization and boronic ester oxidation to specifically detect H$_2$O$_2$. We characterized the optical properties of these probes using both bulk fluorescence measurements and single-aggregate fluorescence imaging, and quantify changes in their fluorescence properties upon addition of amyloid aggregates of α-synuclein and pathophysiological H$_2$O2$_2$concentrations. Our results indicate these new probes will be useful to detect and monitor neurodegenerative disease.