A H2O2-specific fluorescent probe for evaluating oxidative stress in pesticides-treated cells, rice roots and zebrafish

Abstract

Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) plays an irreplaceable role in the evaluation of the redox status in versatile circumstances. The levels of H2O2 can be affected by both internal and external stimuli, including environmental hazards. Abnormal production of H2O2 is a common characteristic of pesticide-caused damage. Therefore, H2O2 levels can intuitively and conveniently reflect the oxidative stress caused by various pesticides in cells and organisms. However, reliable and convenient monitoring of H2O2 in living cells is still limited by the lack of specific imaging probes. In this study, a fluorescent probe (HBTM-HP) was developed for in situ observation of H2O2 fluctuations caused by pesticide treatment over time in mammalian cells, rice roots and zebrafish. HBTM-HP showed high sensitivity and selectivity for H2O2. Fluorescence imaging results confirmed that HBTM-HP could be applied to reveal H2O2 production induced by multiple pesticides. This study revealed that HBTM-HP could serves as a versatile tool to monitor the redox status related to H2O2 both in vitro and in vivo upon exposure to pesticides, and also provides a basis for clarifying the mechanisms of pesticides in physiological and pathological processes.