Observation of peroxynitrite overproduction in cells during 5-fluorouracil treatment via a ratiometric fluorescent probe.

We describe a colorimetric and fluorescent probe 3a to detect cellular peroxynitrite with high selectivity and sensitivity. 3a was successfully applied in the bioimaging of exogenous and endogenous peroxynitrite in living cells. The up-regulation of peroxynitrite in cancer cells and normal cells during 5-fluorouracil treatment was finally monitored. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]