A dual-channel fluorescent probe for monitoring NO and Cys changes correlation of ferroptosis in depression cell model.

Elucidating the ferroptosis signaling pathway involving nitric oxide (NO) and cysteine (Cys) in depression is crucial for understanding the disease's physiology and pathology. However, progress in this area has been hindered by the lack of efficient analytical techniques. Herein, we reported a dual-channel fluorescent probe TJ730-NO-Cys for the individual detection of NO and Cys with high sensitivity and good selectivity. The probe exhibited distinct fluorescence responses in the Cys channel (λex = 452 nm, λem = 550 nm) and NO channel (λex = 622 nm, λem = 772 nm), without any spectral crosstalk and signal interference, allowing for accurate measurement of both analytes. The probe was employed to monitor the redox homeostasis mediated by NO and Cys in living cells. Moreover, the probe allows the visualization of dynamic correlation between NO and Cys with different ferroptosis inducers and in drug-treated depression cells model. We envision this approach to facilitate studies of the NO and Cys interaction and aid in the assessment and screening of depression severity.