A novel dual-channel fluorescent probe for the detection of peroxynitrite anions and lipid droplets in epileptic disease

Abstract

Peroxynitrite (ONOO⁻) and lipid droplets (LDs) are crucial substances essential for maintaining normal physiological functions in biological systems. They play pivotal roles as biomarkers in the initiation and progression of various diseases, such as epilepsy. Therefore, the simultaneous detection of ONOO⁻ and LDs in epilepsy disorders is of great importance. Here, we discovered that the fluorescence probe composed of trifluoromesulfonate and fluorophore can not only be used as the recognition site of ONOO⁻, but also has the property of LDs targeting. Therefore, we reasonable designed and synthesized a dual-channel fluorescent probe CBT, capable of simultaneously monitoring ONOO⁻ and LDs. CBT exhibited exceptional dual-response properties: firstly, upon specific reaction with ONOO⁻, the resulting product BHD emitted a robust red fluorescent signal in the near-infrared region (749 nm); secondly, CBT selectively targeted and labeled LDs, emitting green fluorescence at 482 nm for effective LDs tracking. The signals from these two detection channels did not overlap, which significantly enhanced the accuracy and reliability of detection. Based on these characteristics, CBT has been successfully utilized in real-time imaging of ONOO⁻ and LDs in epilepsy models of cells induced by various drugs. Notably, in a pentylenetetrazole (PTZ)-induced chronic epileptic mice model, CBT exhibited excellent efficacy in ONOO⁻ imaging, further confirming its considerable potential for practical applications. In summary, this study validated CBT as an efficient tool capable of simultaneous detection and differentiation of ONOO⁻ and LDs, presenting a novel and promising strategy for the early diagnosis and treatment of diseases such as epilepsy.