A highly selective probe for ratiometric imaging peroxynitrite in living cells and in vivo.

In this study, we constructed and displayed a ratiometric fluorescent probe JQ-2 for detecting ONOO-. The probe JQ-2 showed a ratiometric signal for visualizing ONOO- with a rapid response and high selectivity over a panel of biological analytes. Moreover, the JQ-2 has near-infrared emission (657 nm), which provides an excellent basis for the practical application in biological systems. The probe JQ-2 possessed low cytotoxicity and excellent cell membrane permeability, which can specifically visualize the exogenous and endogenous ONOO- in vitro and vivo by emission in two channels. Meanwhile, JQ-2 can be used for diagnosing drug-induced liver injury by visualizing and monitoring the fluctuations of endogenous ONOO-. Therefore, JQ-2 provided a potential tool for precisely detecting the fluctuation of ONOO- in biological systems to understand physiological and pathological process.