A novel fluorescent sensing platform for glutathione based on F├Ârster resonance energy transfer and aggregation-induced emission

  • Mohamed M. El-Wekil
  • , Yousef A. Bin Jardan
  • , Aya M. Mostafa
  • , James Barker
  • , Almontaser Bellah H. Ali

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

    Abstract

    Glutathione (GSH) plays essential roles in anti-oxidation and detoxification within the human body. An imbalance in its concentration can lead to serious health conditions. Therefore, accurate monitoring of GSH is critical for maintaining human health. In this study, we present a novel GSH detection method that enhances the fluorescence of ╬▒-lipoic acid-functionalized gold nanoclusters (LA@Au NCs) through aggregation induced by zinc and nitrogen co-doped carbon dots (Zn@N-CDs). Additionally, the fluorescence of Zn@N-CDs (donor) decreases upon adding LA@Au NCs (acceptor), indicating F├Ârster resonance energy transfer (FRET) between them. In the presence of GSH, complexation with Zn2+ on the N-CD surface disrupts both the aggregation induced emission (AIE) and FRET mechanisms. This disruption leads to the restoration of N-CD fluorescence while simultaneously quenching the fluorescence of LA@Au NCs. Under optimized conditions, the fluorescence response ratio (F465/F670) is directly proportional to the concentration of GSH within a linear dynamic range of 0.1-90 ┬ÁM, with a detection limit (S/N = 3) of 0.03 ┬ÁM. This novel combination paves the way for the development of fluorescent probes for detecting various molecules and biomolecules.
    Original languageEnglish
    Article number126131
    JournalSpectrochimica Acta - Part A: Molecular and Biomolecular Spectroscopy
    Volume337
    Early online date28 Mar 2025
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - Sept 2025

    Bibliographical note

    Note: This research is supported by the Researchers Supporting Project, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia through the project number (RSP2025R457).

    Keywords

    • Chemistry

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