Single-Layer MnO₂ Nanosheets Suppressed Fluorescence of 7‑Hydroxycoumarin: Mechanistic Study and Application for Sensitive Sensing of Ascorbic Acid in Vivo

In this study, we systematically investigate the mechanism of single-layer MnO₂ nanosheets suppressing fluorescence of 7-hydroxycoumarin and, based on this, demonstrate a new fluorescent method for in vivo sensing of ascorbic acid (AA) in rat brain. The mechanism for the fluorescence suppression is attributed to a combination of inner filter effect (IFE) and static quenching effect (SQE), which is different from those reported for the traditional two-dimensional nanosheets, and Förster resonant energy transfer (FRET) mechanism reported for MnO₂ nanosheets. The combination of IFE and SQE leads to an exponential decay in fluorescence intensity of 7-hydroxycoumarin with increasing concentration of MnO₂ nanosheets in solution. Such a property allows optimization of the concentration of MnO₂ nanosheets in such a way that the addition of reductive analyte (e.g., AA) will to the greatest extent restore the MnO₂ nanosheets-suppressed fluorescence of 7-hydroxycoumarin through the redox reaction between AA and MnO₂ nanosheets. On the basis of this feature, we demonstrate a fluorescent method for in vivo sensing of AA in the cerebral systems with an improved sensitivity. Compared with the turn-on fluorescent method through first decreasing the fluorescence to the lowest level by adding concentrated MnO₂ nanosheets, the method demonstrated here possesses a higher sensitivity, lower limit of detection, and wider linear range. Upon the use of ascorbate oxidase to achieve the selectivity for AA, the turn-on fluorescence method demonstrated here can be used for in vivo sensing of AA in a simple but reliable way

Data_Sheet_1_The Presence or Absence of Intestinal Microbiota Affects Lipid Deposition and Related Genes Expression in Zebrafish (Danio rerio).docx

<p>Understanding how intestinal microbiota alters energy homeostasis and lipid metabolism is a critical process in energy balance and health. However, the exact role of intestinal microbiota in the regulation of lipid metabolism in fish remains unclear. Here, we used two zebrafish models (germ-free and antibiotics-treated zebrafish) to identify the role of intestinal microbiota in lipid metabolism. Conventional and germ-free zebrafish larvae were fed with egg yolk. Transmission electron microscopy was used to detect the presence of lipid droplets in the intestinal epithelium. The results showed that, microbiota increased lipid accumulation in the intestinal epithelium. The mRNA sequencing technology was used to assess genes expression level. We found majority of the differentially expressed genes were related to lipid metabolism. Due to the limitation of germ-free zebrafish larvae, antibiotics-treated zebrafish were also used to identify the relationship between the gut microbiota and the host lipid metabolism. Oil-red staining showed antibiotics-treated zebrafish had less intestinal lipid accumulation than control group. The mRNA expression of genes related to lipid metabolism in liver and intestine was also quantified by using real-time PCR. The results indicated that apoa4, hsl, cox15, slc2a1a, and lss were more related to intestinal bacteria in fish, while the influence of intestinal microbiota on the activity of fabp6, acsl5, cd36, and gpat2 was different between the liver and intestine. This study identified several genes regulated by intestinal microbiota. Furthermore, the advantages and disadvantages of each model have been discussed. This study provides valuable information for exploring host-microbiota interactions in zebrafish in future.</p