Non-Invasive Near-Infrared Fluorescence Imaging of Neutrophil Infiltration in a Mouse Model of Acute Lung Inflammation

This study evaluates the use of an activatable optical probe that is optically silent upon inhalation and produces a fluorescent signal only after selective cleavage by the serine protease elastase produced by neutrophils. The presence of bacterial endotoxin, lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in the lung can induce a major inflammatory response leading to acute lung injury. To monitor this, neutrophil infiltration into the lung can be measured by certain, activatable (smart) fluorescent probes.