Shedding light by cancer redox-human NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase 1 activation of a cloaked fluorescent dye.

A new quinone propionic acid-cloaked rhodamine fluorophore has its fluorescence revealed (de-cloaked) upon activation by human NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase 1 (hNQO1), an upregulated enzyme in cancer cells and tumors.