A fluorogenic, peptide-based probe for the detection of Cathepsin D in macrophages.

ABSTRACT: Cathepsin D is a protease that is an effector in the immune response of macrophages, yet to date, only a limited number of probes have been developed for its detection. Herein, we report a water soluble, highly sensitive, pH insensitive fluorescent probe for the detection of Cathepsin D activity that provides a strong OFF/ON signal upon activation and with bright emission at 515 nm. The probe was synthesised using a combination of solid and solution-phase chemistries, with probe optimisation to increase its water solubility and activation kinetics by addition of a long PEG chain (5 kDa) at the C-terminus. A BODIPY fluorophore allowed detection of Cathepsin D across a wide pH range, important as the protease is active both at the low pH found in lysosomes and also in higher pH phagolysosome

SUBMITTER: Rodriguez-Rios M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10622513 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature