A new nanoprobe based on FRET between functional quantum dots and gold nanoparticles for fluoride anion and its applications for biological imaging

A new nanoprobe was designed for the fluorescence imaging of fluoride anion (F−) in living cells with high sensitivity and selectivity. The design is based on the fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) between CdTe quantum dots (CdTe QDs) and gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) through the formation of cyclic esters between phenylborinic acid and diol. In the presence of F−, the boronate ester, a “hard acid”, strongly reacts with F−, a “hard base”. Therefore, the boronate ester is converted to trifluoro borate, which causes the breakage of the linkage and disassembles CdTe QDs from AuNPs, resulting in the fluorescence recovery of the quenched CdTe QDs. The interaction mechanism was investigated by 19FNMR on a model that was constructed by a small molecule and F−. Quantum chemical calculations also testify the reactivity of boronate ester to F− and the sensing mechanism. Experimental results show that the increase in fluorescence intensity is proportional to the concentration of F− in the range of 5.0–45 μM. The detection limit and the relative standard deviation were 50 nM and 2.6%, respectively. Fluorescence imaging of F− in macrophages cells indicates good cell membrane penetration ability and low cytotoxicity of the nanoprobe, providing a viable alternative to detection of F− in biological or environmental samples.

► A new nanoprobe for F− was designed between CdTe QDs and gold nanoparticles.
► High affinity of F− towards boron converts boronate ester into trifluoro borate.
► Disassembly of the nanoprobe results in the fluorescence recovery of CdTe QDs.
► Nanoprobe shows good cell membrane penetration ability and low cytotoxicity.
► Fluorescence imaging of F− in macrophages cells was achieved by the nanoprobe.