Peroxynitrite (ONOO^–), a short-lived reactive oxygen species, has attracted much attention because it can cause serious damage to living systems. It is generated in biological systems through the spontaneous coupling reaction of nitric oxide (NO) and superoxide radical (O₂^•-). This peroxide in itself is very reactive; however, its biological action is particularly notorious under elevated cell/tissue rates of NO and/or O₂^•- production.

Increasing evidence has shown that aberrant ONOO^– activities may contribute to a series of human diseases including inflammatory processes, ischemic reperfusion injury, multiple sclerosis, stroke, cancer, and neurodegenerative disorders.

J. Yuan, Y. Guan et al. from the Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics at the Chinese Academy of Sciences (China) have designed and synthesized a unique lanthanide-complex-based ratiometric luminescence probe specific for peroxynitrite. The new probe with fine ratiometric and time-gated capacities provides a novel strategy for the luminescent imaging detection of ONOO^– in living cells.

• A Lanthanide-Complex-Based Ratiometric Luminescent Probe Specific for Peroxynitrite
  C. Song, Z. Ye, G. Wang, J. Yuan, Y. Guan,
  Chem. Eur. J. 2010, 16 (22).
  DOI: 10.1002/chem.201000528