Multiscale imaging of peroxynitrite in gliomas with a blood-brain barrier permeable probe reveals its potential as a biomarker and target for glioma treatment

Cancer development is driven by diverse processes, and metabolic alterations are among the primary characteristics. Multiscale imaging of aberrant metabolites in cancer is critical to understand the pathology and identify new targets for treatment. While peroxynitrite (ONOO−) is reported being enriched in some tumors and plays important tumorigenic roles, whether it is upregulated in gliomas remains unexplored. To determine the levels and roles of ONOO− in gliomas, efficient tools especially those with desirable blood-brain barrier (BBB) permeability and can realize the in situ imaging of ONOO− in multiscale glioma-related samples are indispensable. Herein, we proposed a strategy of physicochemical property-guided probe design, which resulted in the development of a fluorogenic probe NOSTracker for smartly tracking ONOO−. The probe showed sufficient BBB permeability. ONOO− triggered oxidation of its arylboronate group was automatically followed by a self-immolative cleavage of a fluorescence-masking group, liberating its fluorescence signal. The probe was not only highly sensitive and selective towards ONOO−, but its fluorescence favored desirable stability in various complex biological milieus. Guaranteed by these properties, multiscale imaging of ONOO− was realized in vitro in patient-derived primary glioma cells, ex vivo in clinical glioma slices, and in vivo in the glioma of live mice. The results showed the upregulation of ONOO− in gliomas. Furthermore, a specific ONOO− scavenger uric acid (UA) was pharmaceutically used to downregulate ONOO− in glioma cell lines, and an anti-proliferative effect was observed. These results taken together imply the potential of ONOO− as a biomarker and target for glioma treatment, and propose NOSTracker as a reliable tool to further explore the role of ONOO− in glioma development.