The monitoring of NAD(P)H and flavin autofluorescence (AF) is at the basis of numerous investigations on energy metabolism. Nevertheless, the ability of these AF biomarkers to accurately represent the energy currency, ATP, is poorly explored. Here, we focused on the AF/ATP correlation in lean and fatty livers with different steady-state metabolic conditions, achieved after organ isolation, preservation and recovery, in a likely dependence on both liver intrinsic metabolic features and externally induced perturbations. Within these eventual, various conditions, a significant correlation was detected between liver NAD(P)H and flavin AF, measured via fiber-optic probe, and biochemical ATP data, strengthening AF as biomarker of energy metabolism in steady-state conditions for wide-ranging experimental and diagnostic applications.
© 2017 The American Society of Photobiology.