Recurring Real-Time Monitoring of Inflammations in Living Mice with a Chemiluminescent Probe for Hypochlorous Acid

Probes for in vivo imaging of hypochlorous acid (HOCl), one of the most important reactive oxygen species in innate immunity, are urgently needed to understand the pathogenesis of autoimmune and neuroinflammatory disorders. As a strong oxidant, HOCl could bleach near-infrared sensors and inactivate luciferase readily, making in vivo imaging overwhelmingly challenging. Via fine-tuning of a selective HOCl sensing moiety, HOCl stable spacer, and bright chemiluminescent scaffold, we have developed HOCl-CL-510 as a highly selective and sensitive probe for HOCl detection both in vitro and in vivo. In particular, we achieved recurring real-time monitoring of HOCl in both acute and chronic inflammation models in living mice, providing a new chemical tool for dynamic monitoring of disease development with reduced usage of experimental animals.