Fluorescent probes for the detection of alkaline phosphatase in biological systems: Recent advances and future prospects

• Published in: TrAC, Trends in analytical chemistry (Regular ed.) Vol. 136; p. 116189
• Main Authors: Wang, Kai, Wang, Wei, Zhang, Xiang-Yang, Jiang, Ai-Qin, Yang, Yu-Shun, Zhu, Hai-Liang
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 01-03-2021
• Subjects: Alkaline phosphatase; Biological applications; Fluorescent probes; Future prospects; Molecular structures; Sensing mechanisms; Alkaline phosphatase; Fluorescent probes; Future prospects; Sensing mechanisms; Biological applications; Molecular structures
• ISSN: 0165-9936; 1879-3142
• DOI: 10.1016/j.trac.2021.116189

Alkaline phosphatase (ALP), an important enzyme in living organisms, plays significant roles in the hydrolysis of phosphate groups from nucleic acids, proteins, and other substrates. Abnormal level of ALP in serum is related to a variety of diseases. Low expression of ALP can cause blood diseases, such as anemia and leukemia, while over-expression of ALP can lead to disorders in liver, prostate, endocrine system, and bone tissues. Therefore, to monitor the ALP level in physiological and pathological events, it is in urgent need to develop a rapid, accurate, sensitive, and non-invasive approach, which can also be of great significance for the improvement of corresponding clinical agents. With the development of fluorescent probes, many advantages of fluorescent probes for ALP detection, such as simple operation, non-invasive, real-time imaging, economy, fast response, and so on, have been gradually highlighted. In this review, we enumerated almost all the ALP fluorescent probes from 2009 to now and summarized their respective characteristics, in order to provide a unified platform for their standardized evaluation. Meanwhile, we tried to systematically review the research progress of ALP fluorescent probes, including both small-molecule and nanoscale ones. Logically, we focused on the structures, reaction mechanisms, and biological applications of ALP fluorescent probes. In addition, the prospects of ALP in the near future have also been foreseen. We hope that this review will be helpful for the investigators who are interested in ALP-associated biological procedures, and even in the regulation of more extensive enzyme levels.
•Alkaline phosphatase (ALP) fluorescent probes possess respective characteristics.•Different combinations between fluorophores and detection mechanisms of small-molecule fluorescent probes.•ALP nano probes included noble metal nanoparticles, metal-organic frameworks, AIEgens, quantum dots, terbium chelates, etc.•ALP level was crucial for diagnosis of diseases in clinical medicine.•ALP can hydrolysis 5′-phosphate residues from nucleic acid molecules in biology.