Ratiometric fluorescent probe for monitoring tyrosinase activity in melanosomes of melanoma cancer cells

Abstract Tyrosinase is an important biomarker of melanoma cancer. We herein report a melanosome targetable naphthalimide (1) as a ratiometric fluorescent probe that allows for a more precise, quantitative, and spatio-temporal analyses of tyrosinase activity. This probe can provide a ratiometric response to the melanosomal tyrosinase. By taking advantage of ratiometric response, probe 1 can be used for high-throughput screening that accurately addresses the efficacy of therapeutic agents related to tyrosinase activity. Moreover, real-time monitoring of melanosomal tyrosinase degradation by a melanogenesis inhibitor in melanoma cancer cells can be precisely achieved by dual channel confocal microscopic imaging.