Imaging alkaline phosphatase activity in alcoholic liver disease via a rational-designed NIR fluorogenic probe

Area of Science:

• Biochemistry
• Medical Imaging
• Hepatology

Background:

• Alkaline phosphatase (ALP) is a zinc metalloenzyme found in various tissues.
• Elevated ALP levels are indicative of alcoholic liver injury (ALI).
• Accurate detection of ALP activity is crucial for diagnosing and monitoring liver conditions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a novel enzyme-activatable near-infrared (NIR) probe, BDP-R-ALP.
• To enable sensitive and selective detection of alkaline phosphatase activity.
• To visualize and track endogenous ALP in cellular and animal models of alcoholic liver disease (ALD).

Main Methods:

• Synthesis and characterization of the BDP-R-ALP probe.
• In vitro studies using ALP-positive cell lines and an ALD cell model.
• In vivo imaging in tumor-bearing mice and murine models of ALD.
• Evaluation of therapeutic efficacy of a hepatoprotective drug in ALD mice.

Main Results:

• BDP-R-ALP demonstrated high sensitivity and selectivity for detecting ALP activity.
• Real-time imaging of endogenous ALP was achieved in cellular models.
• Non-invasive tracking of ALP dynamics in ALD mouse models was successful.
• The probe effectively evaluated the therapeutic response to a hepatoprotective drug.

Conclusions:

• BDP-R-ALP serves as a practical tool for sensitive and selective detection of ALP.
• The probe facilitates non-invasive imaging of alcohol-induced liver injury and monitoring of ALD.
• BDP-R-ALP is valuable for assessing treatment efficacy in ALD models.