Multi-Förster Resonance Energy Transfer-Based Fluorescent Probe for Spatiotemporal Matrix Metalloproteinase-2 and Caspase-3 Imaging.

A novel single-molecular fluorescent probe was developed for spatiotemporal matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) and caspase-3 imaging with distinct fluorescence signals. Due to the multi-Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) processes, the probe could respond to MMP-2 and caspase-3 independently with high signal-to-noise ratio. Moreover, the overexpression of MMP-2 in cancer cell lines and the cisplatin induced cell apoptosis were spatiotemporal imaged with distinct fluorescence emissions. Because of the independent process of the probe for MMP-2 and caspase-3 imaging, the probe could meet the demands for precise disease diagnosis and cancer theranostic applications, which could extensively simplify the processes for precise cancer diagnosis and imaging.