A Ratiometric Photoacoustic Probe with a Reversible Response to Hydrogen Sulfide and Hydroxyl Radicals for Dynamic Imaging of Liver Inflammation

Reversible imaging probes that allow for the dynamic visualization of the redox cycle between hydroxyl radical (⋅OH) and hydrogen sulfide (H₂ S) are vital to probe the redox imbalance-involved pathological process in vivo. Herein, we report a reversible ratiometric photoacoustic (PA) imaging nanoprobe (1-PAIN) for the real-time imaging of ⋅OH/H₂ S redox cycle in vivo. 1-PAIN displays a low PA ratio between 690 and 825 nm (PA₆₉₀ /PA₈₂₅ ), which significantly increases by ≈5-fold upon oxidation by ⋅OH, and is switched back to the initially low PA₆₉₀ /PA₈₂₅ value upon reduction by H₂ S. 1-PAIN could dynamically report on the hepatic ⋅OH production in mice during the lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced liver inflammation process, and visualize hepatic H₂ S generation during the N-acetyl cysteine (NAC)-induced anti-inflammation process. 1-PAIN can act as a useful tool to probe the redox state in living biology, beneficial for the study of redox imbalance-related diseases.