Imaging acetaldehyde formation during ethanol metabolism in living cells using a hydrazinyl naphthalimide fluorescent probe

The metabolism of ethanol to acetaldehyde has been visualized in living lung epithelial cells using a hydrazinyl naphthalimide fluorescent probe. Utilizing a condensation reaction between carbonyls and a hydrazine moeity, we demonstrate that the fluorescent probe (Aldehydefluor-1) AF1 reacts with a range of reactive carbonyl species including formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, glyoxylic acid, and methyl glyoxal. With AF1, it is possible to directly visualize endogenous carbonyl metabolites. Here, we have applied it towards the visualization of acetaldehyde generated from alcohol dehydrogenase mediated ethanol metabolism, validating it as a useful tool to study the roles of alcohol in respiratory disease and other pathological mechanisms.