Nanosensor quantitative monitoring of ROS/RNS homeostasis in single phagolysosomes of macrophages during bactericidal processes

Chem Commun (Camb). 2024 Dec 4. doi: 10.1039/d4cc05423g. Online ahead of print.

Abstract

Reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (ROS/RNS) in macrophages have a potent killing effect on pathogens that infect the host. Here, we achieved in situ, quantitative detection of the homeostasis of four primary ROS/RNS (ONOO-, H2O2, NO, and NO2-) and their precursors (O2˙-, NO) in phagolysosomes of single RAW 264.7 macrophages after phagocytosis of Escherichia coli with platinum-black nanoelectrodes. Enhanced bactericidal activity of the macrophages was observed by an increase in the total amount of ROS/RNS as well as the level and proportion of ONOO-, a potent bactericidal species of RNS. Moreover, both the bactericidal process and the steady-state replenishment process were dominated by the production of RNS (NO-based), revealing differences in the enzyme kinetics of the bactericidal process.