Upregulation of Formaldehyde in Parkinson’s Disease Found by a Near-Infrared Lysosome-Targeted Fluorescent Probe

Abstract

Parkinson's disease (PD) is one of the major neurodegenerative diseases caused by complex pathological processes. As a signal molecule, formaldehyde is closely linked to nervous systems, but the relationship between PD and formaldehyde levels remains largely unclear. We speculated that formaldehyde might be a potential biomarker for PD. To prove it, we constructed the first near-infrared (NIR) lysosome-targeted formaldehyde fluorescent probe (named NIR-Lyso-FA) to explore the relationship between formaldehyde and PD. The novel fluorescent probe achieves formaldehyde detection in vitro and in vivo, thanks to its excellent properties such as NIR emission, large Stokes shift, and fast response to formaldehyde. Crucially, utilizing the novel probe NIR-Lyso-FA, formaldehyde overexpression was discovered for the first time in cellular, zebrafish, and mouse PD models, supporting our guess that formaldehyde can function as a possible biomarker for PD. We anticipate that this finding will offer insightful information for PD pathophysiology, diagnosis, medication development, and treatment.

Photoinduced Electron Transfer Modulated Photoelectric Signal: Toward an Organic Small Molecule-Based Photoelectrochemical Platform for Formaldehyde Detection

“…Formaldehyde (FA), a simple carbonyl compound, is spontaneously generated in the body and plays a critical role in neurological processes, including spatial memory and cognitive ability. Nevertheless, excessive intake or production of FA can result in carcinogenic and mutagenic effects. − The accurate measurement of FA levels in biological systems is essential. Recent studies have illustrated that hydrazine can readily react with carbonyl moieties under mild conditions to form stable products.…”

Fluorescent Probes for Disease Diagnosis

“…In 2023, to investigate the correlation between formaldehyde and PD in vivo, Lin et al 84 85 The NIRemissive (λ ex = 740 nm) probe consists of a benzoindole salt conjugated to N,N-dimethyl-4(thiophen-2-yl)-aniline, with this latter group acting as a molecular rotor that responds to changes in viscosity. The C�C linker is sensitive to H 2 S, reaction with which induces an increase in blue emission.…”

Cu single-atom catalyst-based flexible hydrogen peroxide electrochemical sensor with oxygen resistance for monitoring ROS bursts

“…24 More recently, we found Fe single-atom-site catalyst exhibited excellent electrocatalytic activity for the reduction of hydrogen peroxide at a peak potential of 0.1 V and can effectively avoid the interference of O 2 . 25 These intensive studies have promoted the development of flexible hydrogen peroxide electrochemical sensor but further exploration is required for understanding ROS burst mechanism in a simulated physiological condition.…”