AIE-based fluorescent boronate probe and its application in peroxynitrite imaging

Abstract

Fluorescent probes have contributed greatly to our understanding of the biological role of peroxynitrite (ONOO–). The ONOO– fluorescence probe characterized by the arlyboronate received a moderate opening fluorescence response, and the borate-masked probe significantly increased the sensitivity of ONOO–. Thus, two simple fluorescent probes (ADB and ANB) with the recognition receptor of phenyl boronate moiety were constructed for the detection of ONOO–. The change of emission spectrum was affected differently by the electron donating (or withdrawing) of the substituents. ANB was shown to have a low sensitivity and quantum yield towards ONOO– in aqueous solution, whereas ADB with aggregation-induced emission (AIE) process exhibited not only good sensitivity for ONOO– with a detection limit of 75 nM, but also ADB could be used to quantitative detecting ONOO– in response to concentrations of ONOO– within 20 s. Importantly, ADB had good performance for the detection of exogenous ONOO– in the RAW 264.7 cells.