FTO-activated DNA walker for specific Na+ imaging in cancer cells.

Specific Na+ imaging within cancer cells is of great significance for understanding their physiological state and malignant progression. Despite great success, Na+ imaging methods often face challenges related to specificity and sensitivity. Herein, we designed a fat mass and obesity-associated protein (FTO)-activated DNA walker for the specific imaging of metal ions in cancer cells. Abnormal FTO expression in cancer cells provides high specificity, while the self-amplification mechanism of the DNA walker provides high sensitivity.