Bioluminescent detection of peroxynitrite with a boronic acid-caged luciferin.

Peroxynitrite, a highly reactive biological oxidant, is formed under pathophysiologic conditions from the diffusion-limited reaction of nitric oxide and superoxide radical anion. Peroxynitrite has been implicated as the mediator of nitric oxide toxicity in many diseases and as an important signaling disrupting molecule (L. Liaudet et al.