BODIPYs revealing lipid droplets as valuable targets for photodynamic theragnosis

Chem Commun (Camb). 2020 Jan 18;56(6):940-943. doi: 10.1039/c9cc09397d. Epub 2019 Dec 18.

Abstract

Endowing BODIPY PDT agents with the ability to probe lipid droplets is demonstrated to boost their phototoxicity, allowing the efficient use of highly fluorescent dyes (poor ROS sensitizers) as phototoxic agents. Conversely, this fact opens the way to the development of highly bright ROS photosensitizers for performing photodynamic theragnosis (fluorescence bioimaging and photodynamic therapy) from a single simple agent. On the other hand, the noticeable capability of some of the reported dyes to probe lipid droplets in different cell lines under different conditions reveals their use as privileged probes for advancing the study of interesting lipid droplets by fluorescence microscopy.

MeSH terms

  • Boron Compounds / chemistry*
  • Fluorescent Dyes / chemistry*
  • HeLa Cells
  • Humans
  • Lipid Droplets / chemistry*
  • Microscopy, Fluorescence
  • Molecular Structure
  • Optical Imaging
  • Photochemotherapy*
  • Photosensitizing Agents / therapeutic use*

Substances

  • 4,4-difluoro-4-bora-3a,4a-diaza-s-indacene
  • Boron Compounds
  • Fluorescent Dyes
  • Photosensitizing Agents