Real-time ratiometric fluorescent assay for alkaline phosphatase activity with stimulus responsive infinite coordination polymer nanoparticles

This study demonstrates a novel ratiometric fluorescent method for real-time alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity assay with stimulus responsive infinite coordination polymer (ICP) nanoparticles as the probe. The ICP nanoparticles used in this study are composed of two components; one is the supramolecular ICP network formed with guanine monophosphate (GMP) as the ligand and Tb³⁺ as the central metal ion, and the other is a fluorescent dye, i.e., 7-amino-4-methyl coumarin (coumarin) encapsulated into the ICP network. Upon being excited at 315 nm, the ICP network itself emits green fluorescence at 552 nm. Coumarin dye encapsulated in the ICP network emits weak fluorescence at 450 nm upon excitation at the same wavelength (315 nm), and this fluorescence emission becomes strong when the encapsulated dye is released from the network into the solution phase. Hence, we develop a ratiometric fluorescent assay based on the ALP-induced destruction of the supramolecular ICP network and the release of coumarin. This mechanism can be used for real-time ratiometric fluorescent monitoring of ALP activity by continuously measuring the ratio of fluorescent intensity at the wavelength of 552 nm (F₅₅₂) to that at 450 nm (F₄₅₀) (F₅₅₂/F₄₅₀) in the time-dependent fluorescent spectra of the coumarin@Tb-GMP suspension containing ALP with different activities. Under the experimental conditions employed here, the F₅₅₂/F₄₅₀ value is linear with the ALP activity within a range from 0.025 U/mL to 0.2 U/mL. The detection limit is down to 0.010 U/mL (S/N = 3). Moreover, the assay developed here is employed for ALP inhibitor evaluation. This study offers a simple yet sensitive method for real-time ALP activity assay.