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Glutathione is the most abundant non-protein thiols compound in cells and plays important metabolic roles. Changes in the amount of glutathione or its metabolic dysregulation can lead to a series of diseases. The determination of glutathione levels is very helpful to the diagnosis and treatment of the related diseases. A coumarin schiff base (compound 1 ) was synthesized from coumarin hydrazide and 2,6-pyridine dicarboxaldehyde and the fluorogenic probe for thiols (compound 1-Cu 2+ ) was prepared by coordinating compound 1 with copper ions. Compound 1 showed strong fluorescence, while compound 1-Cu 2+ hardly had fluorescence due to the paramagnetism and/or photoinduced electron transfer of Cu 2+ . However, after the addition of thiols-containing compounds, the fluorescence of compound 1 was restored. The UV–vis absorption and fluorescence spectra indicated that the fluorogenic probe had good thiols selectivity and sensitivity, particularly for glutathione in CH 3 CN:HEPES (3:2, v/v) buffer. It was successfully applied to the fluorescence imaging detection of glutathione in human cervical squamous cancer cells (SiHa cells). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A novel probe for endogenous GSH was produced based on the coumarin derivative. • The probe exhibited high selectivity for GSH with the detection limit of 0.12 μM. • The fluorescence "turn on" of the probe is depended on de-metallization process. • The probe could be used to detect GSH in the HepG2 cells by fluorescence image. Discrimination and quantification of intracellular biothiols, such as cysteine (Cys), homocysteine (Hcy), glutathione (GSH) under physiological conditions is significant for academic research and disease diagnosis. A new fluorescent probe (complex 1 -Cu2+) for discriminate detection of GSH was prepared by copper ions coordinate with coumarin carbohydrazide Schiff base derivative 1. In suitable buffer solution (CH 3 CN: HEPES = 3:2, v/v) and under appropriate pH condition (pH = 7.2–7.4), the UV–vis spectroscopy experiments showed that compound 1 and copper ion exhibited a 1:1 ratio binding mode and moderate binding ability. Fluorescence quenching of compound 1 was observed when it complexed with Cu2+ ions. An obviously fluorescence restoration appeared after addition of GSH to the solution of probe, which also exhibited a highly selectivity relative to cysteine (Cys) and homocysteine (Hcy) in the amino acid competitive experiments. The minimum detection limit was calculated to 0.12 μM by fluorescent method, which was distinctly below the physiological concentration of GSH in live cells. Its biological application to detect the endogenous GSH was further proved by the HepG2 cell fluorescence image test. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]