Chemiluminescence molecular sensor for endogenous HOCl in vivo

Chemiluminescence bioimaging with enhanced efficiency, ultra-low background, and reliable sensitivity are highly demanded. However, chemiluminescent sensors with substantial luminance efficiency, stability, and biocompatibility are quite rare. A novel activatable chemiluminescent biosensor (CL-N) for sensitively tracking hypochlorous acid (HOCl) in vivo is designed by incorporation of recognition ligand 4-aminophenyl ether with the adamantylidene-dioxetane system. The instant and efficient cleaving of the recognition group by trace HOCl has resulted in strong turn-on chemiluminescence with a detection limit of 10 nM. The chemiluminescence biosensor was successfully applied in chemiluminescence imaging of both endogenous and exogenous HOCl in RAW 264.7 cells and living mice in vivo. Using CL-N as an example, we have offered a versatile chemiluminescent platform with the vast potentiality for chemo/bioanalysis.