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

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.