AuNPs-COFs Core–Shell Reversible SERS Nanosensor for Monitoring Intracellular Redox Dynamics

The redox homeostasis in living cells is greatly crucial for maintaining the redox biological function, whereas accurate and dynamic detection of intracellular redox states still remains challenging. Herein, a reversible surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) nanosensor based on covalent organic frameworks (COFs) was prepared to dynamically monitor the redox processes in living cells. The nanosensor was fabricated by modifying the redox-responsive Raman reporter molecule, 2-Mercaptobenzoquione (2-MBQ), on the surface of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs), followed by the in situ coating of COFs shell. 2-MBQ molecules can repeatedly and quickly undergo reduction and oxidation when successively treated with ascorbic acid (AA) and hypochlorite (ClO–) (as models of reductive and oxidative species, respectively), which resulted in the reciprocating changes of SERS spectra at 900 cm–1. The construction of the COFs shell provided the nanosensor with great stability and anti-interference capability, thus reliably visualizing the dynamics of intracellular redox species like AA and ClO– by SERS nanosensor. Taken together, the proposed SERS strategy opens up the prospects to investigate the signal transduction pathways and pathological processes related with redox dynamics.