Recently, our research group successfully published a research article titled "Gold Cluster-Based Profiling of Early Stage Acute Kidney Injury through Second Near-Infrared Fluorescence Imaging and Mass Spectrometry Imaging" on ACS Nano (SCI Q1 journal of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Top journal, 2023-2024 impact factor: 15.8).

Acute Kidney Injury (AKI) is a prevalent clinical syndrome characterized by high morbidity and mortality rates. One of the major challenges in managing AKI is the lack of early diagnostic tools; by the time clinical abnormalities are detected, the optimal window for intervention has often passed. Furthermore, the absence of methods to visualize early AKI at the molecular level hinders the development of effective intervention strategies. In this study, we developed a highly orthogonal dual-modality imaging strategy that integrates second near-infrared (NIR-II) fluorescence imaging and mass spectrometry imaging (MSI) using gold nanoclusters. Specifically, we synthesized and screened β-cyclodextrin-encapsulated gold nanoclusters (CD-AuNCs), which exhibit stable NIR-II fluorescence emission, satisfactory ionization capabilities, renal excretion pathways, and excellent biocompatibility. Upon intravenous injection, CD-AuNCs rapidly (within 5 minutes) and sensitively detect subtle renal functional abnormalities during AKI, demonstrating distinct renal excretion behaviors. Compared to invasive clinical blood tests (which detect AKI at least 22 hours later) and histopathological examinations (which detect AKI at least 4 hours later), NIR-II fluorescence imaging with CD-AuNCs enables earlier, non-invasive, real-time detection of AKI. Additionally, MSI based on CD-AuNCs facilitates molecular-level studies of early-stage AKI, allowing for the direct identification of key endogenous lipids undergoing remodeling in the renal cortex and medulla. Given the outstanding biocompatibility of CD-AuNCs and their facile one-pot synthesis, our strategy holds significant potential for clinical translation. This research provides a novel approach for the early diagnosis of AKI, offering valuable insights for the development of preventive and therapeutic strategies.

    Paper link: https://pubs.acs.org/doi/full/10.1021/acsnano.5c01886