Description
General description
Cyclooxygenase-2 is an enzyme that catalyzes the formation of prostaglandin H2, a branch point in the biosynthetic pathway leading to the bioactive lipids prostaglandin, thromboxane, and prostacyclin. These compounds function in processes including inflammation, platelet aggregation, and gastric cytoprotection. COX-2 is highly regulated and its expression is induced by a wide range of cytokines, growth factors, and tumor promoters, making COX-2 a key enzyme in inflammatory responses and neoplastic tissues. For example, COX-2 is a marker for colon cancer tumorigenesis, being highly expressed in colorectal carcinoma but nearly undetectable in surrounding normal tissue. (1). The importance of COX-2 expression especially as a preneoplastic/tumorigenic marker thus highlights the need for in vivo detection reagents.
Fluorocoxib-Q (FQ) Orange is a redox-activatable probe suitable for live cell imaging of COX-2. In contrast to other COX-2 reactive compounds such as fluorocoxib-A, FQ Orange produces fluorescent signal only in a redox environment characteristic of cells with high COX-2 expression.
Active COX-2 is localized to the outer nuclear membrane and endoplasmic reticulum. The localization of FQ Orange probe signal in colorectal cancer cells is consistent with the nuclear periphery, as demonstrated by nuclear counterstaining with Hoechst.
FQ Orange has also demonstrated utility in vivo tumor imaging (2).
MW=1098.78 g/mol
Probe is soluble in DMSO.
For representative data, SCC736 Human Colorectal Organoids were incubated with 200 nM FQ probe in appropriate growth medium for 3 hours
SPECTRAL PROPERTIES
Excitation max λ: 586 nm
Emission max λ: 607 nm
Activated BioTracker™ FQ Orange Cox-2 Live Cell Probe is detectable using a 561 nm laser excitation and a propidium iodide/Texas Red filter.
1. Chan G et al. Cyclooxygenase-2 expression is up-regulated in squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck. Cancer Res 59(5):991-994 (1999)
2. Uddin MJ et al. Discovery of a redox-activatable chemical probe for detection of cyclooxygenase-2 in cells and animals. ACS Chem Biol 17:1714-1722 (2022)
Application
Purity: > 98% confirmed by HNMR, LC-MS and HPLC and elemental analysis
Features and Benefits
This orange fluorescent probe detects cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2)---a key enzyme associated with inflammatory processes and neoplasia---in live cells.
Physical form
Dark blue solid. Upon reconstitution, probe solution is clear.
Preparation Note
Store BioTracker™ FQ Orange Cox-2 Live Cell Probe at -20°C, desiccated and protected from lightNote: Centrifuge vial briefly to collect contents at bottom of vial before opening.
Other Notes
Live cell probe for detection of COX-2 activity by fluorescence microscopy or flow cytometry. Unlike other COX-2 reactive compounds such as fluorocoxib-A, BioTracker™ FQ Orange Cox-2 Live Cell Probe produces fluorescent signal only in a redox environment characteristic of cells with high COX-2 expression.
Legal Information
BioTracker is a trademark of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
Disclaimer
Unless otherwise stated in our catalog or other company documentation accompanying the product(s), our products are intended for research use only and are not to be used for any other purpose, which includes but is not limited to, unauthorized commercial uses, in vitro diagnostic uses, ex vivo or in vivo therapeutic uses or any type of consumption or application to humans or animals.
