Visualization of Lung Inflammation to Pulmonary Fibrosis via Peroxynitrite Fluctuation

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a chronic and progressive lung disease with short survival time. However, owing to the unknown etiology and the lack of sensitive and noninvasive methods, the diagnosis of IPF in the early stage is still full of challenges. Since the levels of oxidative stress in mitochondria are relevant to pulmonary fibrosis, we herein present a simultaneous near-infrared (NIR)-Ia window and ratiometic fluorescent probe, rTPONOO-1, with two-photon and mitochondria-targeting abilities to explore the potential biological roles of peroxynitrite (ONOO-) in different states of lung slices from healthy to lung inflammation and pulmonary fibrosis, and there is a good linear relationship between ratiometric fluorescence changes and the rate of pulmonary fibrosis from hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) and Masson staining. In addition, the therapeutic efficacy of aminoguanidine hemisulfate salt (AG) was also investigated. Thus, rTPONOO-1 has great potential in quickly predicting the progression of pulmonary fibrosis in the early stage and improving effective treatment.