HNO, or nitroxyl, is a gaseous signaling molecule known to promote vasorelaxation, cardiac contractility, and antinociception. Here, we study its role as an inhibitor of the enzyme aldehyde dehydrogenase, an enzyme key in the conversion of acetaldehyde to acetic acid. We have developed two cell-permeable fluorescent probes, one specific for HNO and one for acetaldehyde, in order to visualize this pathway in living cells. <i>In vitro </i>studies also show that these two probes demonstrate excellent selectivity for their respective substrates, each providing a significant turn on over time specifically in the presence of their substrate. Utilizing these probes, we aim to visualize the enzymatic pathway of the conversion of ethanol to acetic acid, along with other endogenous mechanisms, in living cells.

Specific, cell-permeable fluorescent probes in the imaging of enzymatic pathways in living cells

251st National Meeting (2016)

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