| Field | Specification |
|---|---|
| CAS no. | |
| Applications | |
| Molecular weight | |
| Molecular formula | C20H20N2O4S2 |
| Purity | |
| SMILES | |
| Form | Solid |
| Storage | |
| Shipping | |
| Catalog no. (Mfr.) | |
| Main SKU |
Compound Overview
TRFS-green is a highly selective off-on fluorescent probe for imaging the selenoprotein thioredoxin reductase (TrxR) in living cells. Its maximum absorbance sits at around 373 nm, and this shifts to around 440 nm once the probe is activated by TrxR[1]. It is supplied as a white to light yellow solid (C20H20N2O4S2, MW 416.51) at 95.02% purity.
Physical & Chemical Properties
| CAS Number | 1513848-14-0 |
|---|---|
| Molecular Formula | C20H20N2O4S2 |
| Molecular Weight | 416.51 g/mol |
| Purity | 95.02% |
| Appearance | Solid |
| Color | White to light yellow |
| SMILES | O=C(OC1CSSC1)NC2=CC=C(C3=C4C=CC=C32)C(N(CCCC)C4=O)=O |
| Signaling Pathway | Metabolic Enzyme/Protease |
| Solubility | In Vitro: DMSO: 25 mg/mL (60.02 mM; Requires sonication; Hygroscopic DMSO has a significant impact on the solubility of product, please use newly opened DMSO) |
| Storage | Powder: -20°C, 3 years; 4°C, 2 years. In solvent: -80°C, 6 months; -20°C, 1 month. |
| Shipping | Room temperature in continental US; may vary elsewhere. |
Literature Cited
Sources cited in this description and in the In Vitro & In Vivo Data tab. Peer-reviewed publications that used this product are listed under References.
Safety
For Research Use Only. Not for use in diagnostic or therapeutic procedures, and not for human or veterinary use. Handle in accordance with the Safety Data Sheet and your institution's chemical hygiene plan.
In Vitro
| Solvent | Solubility | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| DMSO | 25 mg/mL (60.02 mM) | requires sonication; use freshly opened DMSO (absorbed moisture lowers solubility) |
Aliquot the stock solution and store it at -80°C (up to 6 months) or -20°C (up to 1 month); avoid repeated freeze-thaw cycles.
Data provided by the manufacturer.
In Vitro
TRFS-green undergoes a green fluorescence off−on change, triggered when TrxR cleaves a disulfide and the subsequent intramolecular cyclization liberates the masked naphthalimide fluorophore[1]. When excited at 377 nm, TRFS-green emits a signal at ~480 nm. Dose-dependent pretreatment of living cells with TrxR inhibitors can suppress the fluorescence signal of TRFS-green inside those cells, thereby facilitating development of living cell-based screening assays for TrxR inhibitors[1]. Neither GSH nor Cys, the predominant thiols in cells, nor endogenous reducing agents such as vitamin C and NADPH elicit a response from TRFS-green[1]. TrxR activity in crude cell extracts[1] can be measured by incubating cell lysates with TRFS-green for a suitable time (usually 1-2 hours) and reading fluorescence intensity with a fluorimeter (Em= 540 nm, Ex=440 nm). The time-dependent rise in fluorescence (Em=540 nm, Ex=440 nm) can alternatively be followed across a chosen period. TRFS-green-treated cells (10 μM; 2-4 h) can be viewed through the microscope's green fluorescent channel[1]. Note: for a clear fluorescence image, washing the cells with PBS or fresh medium right before imaging is recommended, which removes residual TRFS-green. As the first green-emitting fluorescent probe for TrxR, TRFS-green nevertheless responds slowly to the enzyme: more than 2 h are needed to reach the maximal fluorescence signal, even when tris(2-carboxyethyl)phosphine (TCEP) serves as the reducing agent[2].
Data provided by the manufacturer. Numbered citations refer to the Literature Cited list in the product description.
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Non-covalent inhibitors of thioredoxin glutathione reductase with schistosomicidal activity in vivo. Nat Commun 2023 Jun 22;14(1):3737. PMID: 37349300
NFATc1-mediated expression of SLC7A11 drives sensitivity to TXNRD1 inhibitors in osteoclast precursors. Redox Biol 2023 Jul:63:102711. PMID: 37148740
Pleiotropic anti-cancer activities of novel non-covalent thioredoxin reductase inhibitors against triple negative breast cancer. Free Radic Biol Med 2024 Dec 4:227:201-209. PMID: 39643141
Targeting thioredoxin reductase by micheliolide contributes to radiosensitizing and inducing apoptosis of HeLa cells. Free Radic Biol Med 2022 Jun;186:99-109. PMID: 35561844
Targeting thioredoxin reductase 1 by Andrographolide contributes to inducing ROS-mediated apoptosis in human NSCLC cells. Chem Biol Interact 2025 Nov 1:421:111778. PMID: 41077336
Disruption of cellular redox homeostasis by bigelovin triggers oxidative stress-mediated apoptosis in Fibrosarcoma. Bioorg Chem 2025 Nov:166:109147. PMID: 41175726
Cinnamaldehyde-Containing Organoarsenic Prodrug with Synergistic Anticancer Activity via Redox Dyshomeostasis. Mol Pharm 2025 Oct 6;22(10):6083-6091. PMID: 40948450
Revealing PACMA 31 as a new chemical type TrxR inhibitor to promote cancer cell apoptosis. Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Cell Res 2022 Jul 4;1869(10):119323. PMID: 35793738
Loyola University Chicago. 2025.
Unravelling the anti-cancer mechanisms elicited by non-covalent thioredoxin reductase inhibitors for triple negative breast cancer therapy. bioRxiv 2025 Sep 9:2025.09.04.674327. PMID: 40964317
