The visualized fluorescent probes based on benzothiazole used to detect esterase

Esterase plays a crucial role in regulating various biological activities in living organisms. Detecting esterase levels can be beneficial for the treatment of various diseases. In this study, we have designed and synthesized ESIPT (excited state intramolecular proton transfer)-inspired fluorescent probes HBT-EA, HBT-MA-EA, and HBT-Py-EA, based on benzothiazole derivatives, to detect and identify esterase. All three probes exhibited remarkable enhancement of fluorescent signal in the presence of esterase. These probes were also utilized to detect esterase in living cells with high sensitivity and specificity. Furthermore, a test strips experiment suggests that the probes can recognize esterase accompanied by remarkable color change. Overall, our data suggest that these probes are effective tools for the detection of endogenous esterase, and we expect that they will be further applied in biological and materials science research.