A near-infrared fluorescent probe for HClO detection and image-guided surgery in glioblastoma

Glioblastoma is a highly aggressive brain tumor with poorly defined margins, which often prevents complete surgical resection and leads to poor prognosis. Herein, we developed TNSN-B, a near-infrared fluorescent probe for specific detection of hypochlorous acid (HClO) and image-guided surgery in glioblastoma. The probe functions through HClO-triggered cleavage of a boronate ester bond, leading to the release of the TNSN fluorophore and a strong fluorescence emission at 588 nm. TNSN-B exhibits a large Stokes shift, rapid response, high selectivity, low cytotoxicity, and excellent biocompatibility. In vitro, the probe effectively distinguished cancer cells from normal cells and enabled real-time monitoring of both exogenous and endogenous HClO. Furthermore, in vivo imaging in a subcutaneous glioblastoma mouse model demonstrated clear tumor delineation, with a maximum fluorescence signal at 60 min post-injection, thereby facilitating fluorescence-guided resection. These results highlight TNSN-B as a promising tool for improving glioblastoma diagnosis and precision surgery.