Fluorescence sensing and intracellular imaging for hydroxyl radical using coumarin-modified cyclodextrin derivatives

A coumarin-methyl-β-cyclodextrin (CCA-MCD) was synthesised. Fluorescence studies showed that CCA-MCD could successfully sense hydroxyl radicals (√OH) in water and it had a specific fluorescence response to √OH over other free radicals. Further study showed that it could monitor intracellular √OH as well. These findings suggest that CCA-MCD can be used as a cell-permeable fluorescence sensor to study the function of √OH in biological processes.