Renal-clearable Molecular Semiconductor for Second Near-Infrared Fluorescence Imaging of Kidney Dysfunction

Real-time imaging of kidney function is important to assess the nephrotoxicity of drugs and monitor the progression of renal diseases; however, it remains challenging because of the lack of optical agents with high renal clearance and high signal-tobackground ratio (SBR). Herein, a second near-infrared (NIR-II) fluorescent molecular semiconductor (CDIR2) is synthesized for realtime imaging of kidney dysfunction in living mice. CDIR2 not only has a high renal clearance efficiency (~90% injection dosage at 24 h postinjection), but also solely undergoes glomerular filtration into urine without being reabsorbed and secreted in renal tubules. Such a unidirectional renal clearance pathway of CDIR2 permits real-time monitoring of kidney dysfunction in living mice upon nephrotoxic exposure. Thus, this study not only introduces a molecular renal probe but also provides useful molecular guidelines to increase the renal clearance efficiency of NIR-II fluorescent agents. MOE (Min. of Education, S’pore) Accepted version