Boronic Acid Functionalized Aza-Bodipy (azaBDPBA) based Fluorescence Optodes for the Analysis of Glucose in Whole Blood

A near-infrared fluorescent dye (aza-bodipy or azaBDPBA) functionalized with boronic acid groups was synthesized for the preparation of optodes to measure glucose in 40-fold diluted whole blood. Boronic acid groups as an electron deficient group on aza-bodipy was reacted with hydrogen peroxide into an electron-rich phenolic group leading to the red-shift of emission wavelength from 682 to 724 nm. The emission in near-infrared region offered a low level of background interference from whole blood. Also, the dual-wavelength emission guaranteed our probe to measure glucose in whole blood accurately after the conversion of glucose into hydrogen peroxide using glucose oxidase. The measuring range of glucose from 0.2 to 200 mM in the buffer was achieved with high selectivity. To facilitate the blood test, the probe was immobilized into thin hydrophobic polymer films to prepare the disposal glucose optode, which could detect glucose in the solution from 60 μM to 100 mM. The concentration of glucose in 40-fold diluted whole blood was determined using our optode and the reference method, respectively. The consistence in the concentration obtained from these two assays revealed that our azaBDPBA-based optodes were promising for the clinic assay of glucose in the whole blood.