A phenylboronate-based SERS nanoprobe for detection and imaging of intracellular peroxynitrite

A surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) based nanoprobe was developed for detection and imaging of endogenous peroxynitrite in living cells. The probe was fabricated by assembling 3-mercaptophenylboronic acid pinacol ester onto the surface of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs). The detection of peroxynitrite is accomplished via measurement of the changes in the SERS spectra (at 882 cm^-1) that are caused by the reaction between probe and peroxynitrite. The probe has a fast response (<30 s), a 0.4 μM lower detection limit and a wide linearity range from 5.0 × 10^-7 to 1.0 × 10^-4 M. It is biocompatible and highly stable on storage and under various pH conditions. Both the reaction and the SERS signal are highly specific over other species. The nanoprobe was successfully applied to SERS imaging of peroxynitrite that is produced in macrophages under oxidative stress. Conceivably, the method has a most viable tool for use in studies on peroxynitrite-related physiological and pathological processes. Graphical abstract Schematic presentation of surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) nanoprobes fabricated by assembling phenylboronate on gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) for detecting intracellular peroxynitrite (ONOO^-) via specific reaction-caused SERS changes.