Efficacy evaluation of edaravone by imaging of •OH in cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury with a novel fluorescent probe

Abstract

Hydroxyl radical (•OH) is a crucial target during the course of stroke. Here, we developed a novel, blood-brain barrier (BBB) permeable fluorescent probe BIBP-H with hydrohemicyanine moiety for intelligent detection of •OH. The hydrogen in BIBP-H is abstracted by •OH to release the caged large π-conjugation fluorophore, triggering a turn-on fluorescence response. With high selectivity, sensitivity and biocompatibility, BIBP-H can monitor both endogenous and exogenous •OH in living neuron cells, and can also visualize cerebral •OH in situ in stroke rats modeled by cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury (CIRI). Using the probe, we further corroborated the anti-apoplexy efficacy of edaravone (EDA) to reduce •OH levels. These findings reveal that BIBP-H is a convenient and reliable probe for •OH bioimaging and stroke monitoring.