Target-Selective Fluorescence Imaging and Photocytotoxicity against H2 O2 High-Expressing Cancer Cells Using a Photoactivatable Theranostic Agent.

A purpose-designed and synthesized H2 O2 -reactive and photoactivatable theranostic agent 1 consisting of 1) an arylboronic acid moiety, 2) pro-fluorophore moiety, and 3) photoactivatable moiety (photosensitizer), selectively and effectively reacted with H2 O2 while simultaneously releasing resorufin for fluorescence detection under neutral aqueous conditions. In addition, 1 was cell-permeable, and exhibited effective photocytotoxicity against fluorescently visualized cells only upon photoirradiation. The results also showed that 1 produced a selective fluorescence response to H2 O2 , even in living cultured cells.