Design and synthesis of near-infrared fluorescence-enhancement probes for the cancer-specific enzyme hNQO1

Two new near-infrared fluorescent-enhanced probes 1 and 2 were developed for detection of hNQO1 activity in vitro and in mice. 2 was successfully used in differentiating hNQO1-positive HT29 cancer cells and hNQO1-negative human breast cancer cells in vitro and bioimaging of HT29 cells in living mice.148