Golgi apparatus-targeting fluorescent probe for the imaging of superoxide anion (O) in living cells during ferroptosis.

Ferroptosis is an emerging iron-dependent oxidative cell death type, and recently has been demonstrated to show close relation with Golgi apparatus (GA). Exploring the fluctuation of superoxide anion (O) level in GA during ferroptosis is of great significance to profoundly study the biological functions of GA in ferroptosis. Here, we present a GA-targeting probe (N-GA) to monitor cellular O during ferroptosis. N-GA employed a triflate group and a tetradecanoic amide unit as the recognition site for O and GA-targeting unit, respectively. After the response of N-GA to O, the triflate unit of N-GA converted into hydroxyl group with strong electron-donating ability, generating bright green fluorescence under UV light. N-GA exhibited excellent sensitivity and selectivity towards O. Fluorescence imaging results showed that N-GA could be applied as a GA-targeting probe to monitor cellular O. The stimulation of cells with PMA and rotenone could result in the massive generation of endogenous O in GA. Erastin-induced ferroptosis can markedly induce the increase of O level in GA. Similar to Fer-1 and DFO, dihydrolipoic acid (DHLA) and rutin were demonstrated to inhibit the enormous production of O in GA of the living cells during ferroptosis.