A mitochondrial-targeted fluorescent probe for imaging HOCl in ferroptosis and multiple liver injury models

Ferroptosis exerts a significant influence on the pathogenesis, progression, and therapeutic outcomes of liver diseases. Mitochondria play pivotal roles in liver disease and are also an indispensable hub in the final implementation of ferroptosis. The overabundance of mitochondrial HOCl can result in the permeabilization of mitochondria, which can cause cell death and damage to liver tissue. Herein, we designed a fluorescent probe named PTZ-PY based on thiophenazine for HOCl rapid detection. PTZ-PY exhibits excellent sensitivity and high selectivity to HOCl, and the LOD of HOCl is 13 nM. PTZ-PY is capable of targeting mitochondria and effectively monitors fluctuations in endogenous HOCl concentrations within cellular and zebrafish models, and has been utilized to document the escalation of HOCl levels associated with ferroptosis. As an efficient tool for detecting HOCl, PTZ-PY has demonstrated remarkable potential in exploring functions of HOCl in physiological processes, suggesting that it holds a promising application prospect in related research fields.