A near-infrared fluorescent probe for evaluating endogenous hydrogen peroxide during ischemia/reperfusion injury

Abstract

Hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂), as a major component of reactive oxygen species (ROS), plays an important role in normal physiological processes. A H₂O₂ burst also occurs in the ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) process and causes a series of physiological and pathological injuries. Therefore, it is important to determine concentration fluctuations of H₂O₂. Here we develop a ratiometric fluorescent probe, Cy-ArB, which shows high selectivity and sensitivity toward H₂O₂. The fluorescence response of the probe is triggered by the reaction of borate esters with H₂O₂, and this process releases a near-infrared heptamethine cyanine fluorophore which has the ability of mitochondrial tracing. Hence, the probe can be used for real-time monitoring of H₂O₂ fluctuations in the mitochondrial respiration chain. Finally, we explore the fluctuations of H₂O₂ in cells and in vivo during the I/R process using the probe Cy-ArB. The results of our experiments prove that our probe is a potential candidate for clinical surgery pre-evaluation.