A novel near-infrared probe demonstrates enhanced imaging of γ-glutamyl transpeptidase activity in living mice, suggesting improved molecular tracking.
Abstract γ‐Glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT) is a membrane‐bounded enzyme closely involved in a wide range of physiological and pathological processes. While numerous fluorescent probes have been developed to image GGT activity noninvasively, in vivo applications remain challenging. A key limitation lies in GGT's localization: activated fluorophores diffuse rapidly from sites of activation, significantly reducing contrast of image in living systems. To overcome this, we adopted the “one‐to‐multi” design to develop a novel NIR fluorescent probe for GGT. This probe, upon a single GGT activation, triggers a cascade of effects, including markedly reduced aqueous solubility, enhanced cellular permeability, covalent self‐immobilization at the target site, and enhancement in near‐infrared (NIR) fluorescence intensity. This design allows real‐time and sensitive imaging of GGT activity in live cells and achieves high contrast in vivo imaging with long‐lasting signal retention at tumor sites in living mice.
No takes yet. Share an insight, caveat, or question.
Ding et al. (2025) studied this question.
Synapse has enriched 5 closely related papers on similar clinical questions. Consider them for comparative context: