Ratiometric Fluorescent Probe for Sensitive Tracking of Peroxynitrite during Drug-Induced Hepatotoxicity

Abstract

As an essential component of reactive oxygen species (ROS), peroxynitrite (ONOO⁻) plays an indispensable role in redox homeostasis and signal transduction, with anomalous levels implicated in various clinical conditions. Therefore, accurate and rapid detection of intracellular ONOO⁻ levels is crucial for revealing its role in physiological and pathological processes. In this study, we developed a ratiometric fluorescent probe to detect ONOO⁻ levels in biological systems. The probe demonstrated a fast reaction rate (within 15 min), outstanding selectivity, high sensitivity (limit of detection=13.32 nM), and stability in the presence of ONOO⁻. The proposed probe was successfully used for visualizing endogenous ONOO⁻ in living cells and tracking changes in intracellular ONOO⁻ levels during drug-induced hepatotoxicity using ratiometric fluorescence.