A multifunctional fluorescent probe for monitoring of SO2 and viscosity and its application in food, ferroptosis, and bioimaging

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Inflammation is an intrinsic defense mechanism of organisms against tissue injury, characterized by biological pathways such as autophagy, depolarization, and endogenous sulfite production. Ferroptosis, a newly identified form of iron-dependent programmed cell death, leads to the accumulation of excessive lipid peroxides, resulting in changes in viscosity and SO₂ levels. Investigating the dynamic relationship between SO₂ and viscosity in these two conditions is crucial for elucidating the precise regulatory mechanisms of inflammation and ferroptosis. Here, we developed a fluorescent probe, named CNNP, which possesses dual targeting capabilities for lipid droplets and mitochondria. This innovative probe facilitates the simultaneous and precise detection of both SO₂ and viscosity, utilizing distinct emission wavelengths without cross-talk interference. Furthermore, we successfully employed this probe to determine bisulfite levels in food and herbal medicine samples, achieving high recovery rates (99.2 %–104.2 %), thereby demonstrating its practical utility. Notably, CNNP enables both exogenous and endogenous imaging of SO₂ and viscosity within cells. We observed subtle fluctuations in SO₂ levels and viscosity during inflammation and ferroptosis, as evidenced by abnormal changes in process parameters in both in vivo and in vitro levels. These findings introduce new perspective for the diagnosis and treatment of these pathological processes.