Deoxynivalenol-induced cell apoptosis monitoring using a cytochrome c-specific uorescent probe based on a photoinduced electron transfer reaction

Highlights: • CdTe@MIP with high recognition ability and fluorescence was employed as a probe. • Cyt c was regarded as a 'point-of-no return' event during DON-induced cell apoptosis. • The in situ visualization of activated Cyt c was realized via cell imaging. • This approach can be an effective early-warning protocol to evaluate DON toxicity. Deoxynivalenol (DON) is considered a mycotoxin that is toxic to the agricultural environment and human body. It is necessary to study the pathophysiological mechanism of DON toxicity at the cellular level. Cytochrome c (Cyt c), as an important biomarker of DON-induced apoptosis that may lead to a bipartite 'point-of-no return' event, is of great significance to be detected using cell imaging. Herein, we synthesized a DON-deactivated emission uorescent probe, the molecularly imprinted polymer-coated quantum dots (CdTe@MIP), for monitoring the Cyt c level with a photoinduced electron transfer strategy. The CdTe@MIP probe can be easily loaded into cells and perform well due to its great sensitivity and selectivity and its fluorescence was gradually quenched with the increasing concentration (0–10 μM) and incubation time (0–7.5 h) of DON. Cell imaging results of apoptosis induced by DON was consistent with that of the cell counting kit-8 assay and flow cytometry technique. The developed method can be used to monitor DON-induced apoptosis and provide an early-warning system for the contaminant toxicity.