Dual-Channel NIR-II Probe for Simultaneous Tracking of Nitric Oxide and Methylglyoxal in Inflammation: Enabling Rapid Drug Efficacy Assessment

Nitric oxide (NO) and methylglyoxal (MGO) play a vital
part in
maintaining redox homeostasis, modulating substances, and signal transduction.
Fluctuations in these signaling molecules are closely associated with
various pathological processes. However, due to the absence of appropriate
multifunctional fluorescent sensors, concurrent identification of
NO and MGO has not been achieved in inflammatory diseases. Herein,
a dual-responsive near-infrared window II fluorescent probe (TPA-4T)
was rationally developed to monitor NO and MGO through its distinct
emission channels concurrently. Upon NO exposure, TPA-4T formed the
compound TPA-4T-NO with activated fluorescence signals at 980 nm,
while MGO oxidation generated TPA-4T-MGO emitting at 1065 nm. This
unique dual-responsive imaging property enabled TPA-4T to concurrently
monitor the elevated NO and MGO levels in subcutaneous tumors through in vivo imaging for the first time, and the dual-channel
visualization in the type 2 diabetes mellitus disease model was achieved.
Most importantly, TPA-4T has successfully achieved utility in drug-induced
liver injury, enabling not only diagnostic visualization but also
rapid drug assessment in vivo. Undoubtedly, compared
with single-analyte detection, the dual-biomarker strategy may provide
enhanced sensitivity and reliability for inflammation-related disease
diagnosis and the screening of therapeutic agents.