Bimodal effects on lipid droplets induced in cancer and non-cancer cells by chemotherapy drugs as revealed with a green-emitting BODIPY fluorescent probe

J Mater Chem B. 2024 Mar 20;12(12):3022-3030. doi: 10.1039/d3tb02979d.

Abstract

Lipid droplets (LDs) are cytoplasmic lipid-rich organelles with important roles in lipid storage and metabolism, cell signaling and membrane biosynthesis. Additionally, multiple diseases, such as obesity, fatty liver, cardiovascular diseases and cancer, are related to the metabolic disorders of LDs. In various cancer cells, LD accumulation is associated with resistance to cell death, reduced effectiveness of chemotherapeutic drugs, and increased proliferation and aggressiveness. In this work, we present a new viscosity-sensitive, green-emitting BODIPY probe capable of distinguishing between ordered and disordered lipid phases and selectively internalising into LDs of live cells. Through the use of fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy (FLIM), we demonstrate that LDs in live cancer (A549) and non-cancer (HEK 293T) cells have vastly different microviscosities. Additionally, we quantify the microviscosity changes in LDs under the influence of DNA-damaging chemotherapy drugs doxorubicin and etoposide. Finally, we show that doxorubicin and etoposide have different effects on the microviscosities of LDs in chemotherapy-resistant A549 cancer cells.

MeSH terms

  • Boron Compounds*
  • Doxorubicin / metabolism
  • Doxorubicin / pharmacology
  • Etoposide / metabolism
  • Fluorescent Dyes / metabolism
  • Fluorescent Dyes / pharmacology
  • Lipid Droplets* / metabolism
  • Lipids
  • Neoplasms* / diagnostic imaging
  • Neoplasms* / drug therapy
  • Neoplasms* / metabolism

Substances

  • Fluorescent Dyes
  • 4,4-difluoro-4-bora-3a,4a-diaza-s-indacene
  • Etoposide
  • Lipids
  • Doxorubicin
  • Boron Compounds