Benzorhodol derived far-red/near-infrared fluorescent probes for selective and sensitive detection of butyrylcholinesterase activity in living cells and the non-alcoholic fatty liver of zebrafish

Liver diseases are a growing public health concern and the development of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has a significant impact on human metabolism. Butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) is a vital biomarker for NAFLD, making it crucial to monitor BChE activity with high sensitivity and selectivity. In this study, we designed and synthesized a range of benzorhodol-derived far-red/near-infrared fluorescent probes, FRBN-B, NF-SB, and NF-B, for the quantitative detection and imaging of BChE. These probes differed in the size of their conjugated systems and in the number of incorporated cyclopropanecarboxylates, acting as the recognition site for BChE. Comprehensive characterization showed that FRBN-B and NF-SB fluorescence was triggered by BChE-mediated hydrolysis, while an additional cyclopropanecarboxylate in NF-B impeded the fluorescence release. High selectivity towards BChE was observed for FRBN-B and NF-SB, with a detection limit of 7.2 × 10⁻³ U mL⁻¹ for FRBN-B and 1.9 × 10⁻³ U mL⁻¹ for NF-SB. The probes were further employed in the evaluation of BChE inhibitor efficacy and imaging of intracellular BChE activity. Additionally, FRBN-B was utilized for imaging the BChE activity level in liver tissues in zebrafish, demonstrating its potential as a diagnostic tool for NAFLD.