Citation: Tengfei Zhang, Chen Han, Chiyuan Wei, Xing Wang, Zhihui Jia, Hong-Min Meng, Zhaohui Li. Ratiometric fluorescence probe using semiconducting polymer nanoparticles and carbon dots for predicting anti-cancer efficiency[J]. Chinese Chemical Letters, ;2026, 37(3): 111566. doi: 10.1016/j.cclet.2025.111566 shu

Ratiometric fluorescence probe using semiconducting polymer nanoparticles and carbon dots for predicting anti-cancer efficiency

Tengfei Zhang ^a ,
Chen Han ^a ,
Chiyuan Wei ^a ,
Xing Wang ^{a, c} ,
Zhihui Jia ^a ,
Hong-Min Meng ^{a, *,} ,
Zhaohui Li ^{a, b, *,}

a.
College of Chemistry, Zhengzhou Key Laboratory of Functional Nanomaterial and Medical Theranostic, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
b.
The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450052, China
c.
Engineering Chemistry and Testing Department, Sinopec Engineering (Group) Company Luoyang R&D Center of Technology, Luoyang 471003, China

hmmeng2017@zzu.edu.cn

zhaohui.li@zzu.edu.cn

Received Date: 18 January 2025
Revised Date: 29 May 2025
Accepted Date: 8 July 2025
Available Online: 9 July 2025

Figures(6)

Immunogenic cell death (ICD) represents a specific form of tumor cell death that has the potential to elicit a tumor-specific immune response, resulting in a systemic anti-tumor effect and providing therapeutic benefits for metastatic lesions. The extensive research in this field has led to numerous studies confirming that during the induction of ICD, tumor cells can release damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs), which can be used as biomarkers to predict anti-cancer efficiency. However, few ratiometric fluorescent probes have been developed to tackle this fluctuation in living cells. In this study, we present a novel ratiometric fluorescence probe based on semiconducting polymer nanoparticles (SPNs) and carbon dots (CDs) for the sensing of DAMPs fluctuation in the ICD process by choosing adenosine triphosphate as a model. In this design, the fluorescence intensity of SPNs could not be affected by the change of target, while CDs could selectively respond to target, therefore realizing the ratiometric sensing of DAMPs. The ratiometric probe was successfully applied in real-time monitoring of the fluctuating concentration of DAMPs induced by doxorubicin in living cells. These results demonstrate that the ratiometric probe may become a promising agent for predicting anti-cancer efficiency.
- Immunogenic cell death,
- Damage-associated molecular patterns,
- ATP,
- Ratiometric fluorescence probe,
- Intracellular sensing
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