Development of azo-based fluorescent probes to detect different levels of hypoxia

Abstract

Let it shine: New hypoxia-sensitive fluorescent probes were developed; they consist of a rhodamine moiety with an azo group directly conjugated to the fluorophore. Because of an ultrafast conformational change around the NN bond, the compounds are nonfluorescent under normoxia. However, under hypoxia, the azo group is reduced, and a strongly fluorescent rhodamine derivative is released.

Keywords: azo compounds; bioorganic chemistry; fluorescent probes; imaging agents; oxygen concentration.