Rational design of biotin–disulfide–coumarin conjugates: a cancer targeted thiol probe and bioimaging

Biotin–disulfide–coumarin conjugates are designed and synthesized as novel fluorescent sensors for cancer targeted intracellular thiol imaging in living organisms. In vitro experiments disclose that probe 6 is preferentially taken up by biotin receptor-positive A549 tumor cells through receptor mediated endocytosis.