An imidazo-pyridin derivative as fluorescent probe for the peroxynitrite detection in pulmonary permissive hypercapnia

The physiological and pathological processes in lungs indicated that ONOO⁻ acted as an informative indicator for pulmonary functioning status with the corresponding dynamics, especially in permissive hypercapnia. Herein, for the peroxynitrite (ONOO⁻) detection and imaging in living lung cells, an imidazo-pyridin derived fluorescent probe IDPD-ONOO was developed. IDPD-ONOO recognized ONOO⁻ to exhibit a corresponding fluorescence response at 490 nm with the excitation wavelength at 355 nm. The advantages of the developed probe included practical linear range (0–100 μM), high sensitivity (Limit of Detection 0.005 μM), rapid response (within 15 min), pH tolerance (7.0–9.0), high selectivity, and low cyto-toxicity. Furthermore, IDPD-ONOO achieved the pulmonary intracellular imaging of both the exogenous and endogenous ONOO⁻ level, which was meaningful for the research on the pulmonary physiological and pathological mechanism with optimized optical implements.

Graphical abstract

For the peroxynitrite (ONOO^-) detection and imaging in living lung cells, an imidazo-pyridin derived fluorescent probe IDPD-ONOO was developed. The advantages of the developed probe included practical linear range, high sensitivity, rapid response, pH tolerance, high selectivity, and low cyto-toxicity. IDPD-ONOO achieved the pulmonary intracellular imaging of both the exogenous and endogenous ONOO^- level, which was meaningful for the research on the pulmonary physiological and pathological mechanism with optimized optical implements.