Diagnostic approaches optical imaging of GGT levels in lipid metabolism disorders: Insights from preclinical imaging and patients samples.

Lipid metabolism diseases, particularly obesity (OB) and atherosclerosis (AS), pose significant global health challenges. This study introduces the Hcy-GGT probe, a novel hemicyanine-based sensor for real-time, high-sensitivity detection of glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT), crucial for assessing liver function and systemic lipid disorders like obesity (OB) and atherosclerosis (AS). The probe, activated by GGT, shows enhanced absorption, fluorescence, and photoacoustic signals, providing a linear response to GGT concentration with a detection limit of 57.5 ng/mL. Applied in cellular models and in vivo, Hcy-GGT effectively monitors GGT activity, demonstrating its potential for early disease diagnosis and monitoring, particularly in OB and AS contexts. Importantly, Hcy-GGT probe effectively distinguished between obese and non-obese in polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) patients by demonstrating stronger fluorescence intensity in the serum of the obese group, highlighting its utility in assessing obesity-associated metabolic risks. This probe's specificity and stability under physiological conditions underscore its utility for clinical diagnostics and biomedical research, offering a promising tool for non-invasive, dynamic disease monitoring and early intervention.