A fluorescent assay for γ-glutamyltranspeptidase via aggregation induced emission and its applications in real samples.

γ-Glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT) plays crucial roles in some physiological processes. Herein a turn-on fluorescent probe for γ-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT) assay based on aggregation-induced-emission (AIE) effect and the enzyme-induced transformation of hydrophilicity to hydrophobicity has been developed by functionalizing tetraphenylethylene (TPE) derivative with two γ-glutamyl amide groups, which simultaneously work as recognition units and hydrophilic groups. When the γ-glutamyl amide groups are cleaved through GGT enzymatic reaction, the hydrophobic reaction product readily aggregate and correspondingly strong blue fluorescence can be observed, as a result of activated AIE process. By virtue of the probe's good solubility in totally aqueous solution, high sensitivity and excellent photostability, the probe can be employed to detect GGT level in human serum samples. Furthermore, the probe can be used for imaging endogenous GGT in living A2780 cells. Hence, the probe holds great promise for acting as a convenient one-step straightforward assay for GGT detection in diagnostic-related applications, and also it could provide a useful approach for conducting pathological analysis for diseases involving GGT.