Design, synthesis and biological activity of bis-sulfonyl-BODIPY probes for tumor cell imaging

Abstract

In recent years, BODIPY derivatives have become one of the research hotspots in the field of bioprobes, but most of them have the problems of poor hydrophilicity, low biocompatibility and no targeting. In this paper, novel ethylenediamine bridging bis-sulfonyl-BODIPY fluorescent probes were successfully designed and synthesized to solve these problems; What’s more, the cytotoxicity analysis, cell imaging, in vivo imaging and apoptosis experiments were carried out. Ethylenediamine bridges and oxygen-rich sulfonyl groups made such probes had certain hydrophilicity, so they could be dissolved in dimethylsulfoxide and methanol. The IC50 value of compound 9 in HCT-116 cells was 93.12 ± 6.33 µM, and in HeLa cells was 89.09 ± 11.84 µM, which indicating that the probe had certain inhibitory effect on cancer cells. The excellent biocompatibility and potential tumor targeting properties of the compound were clearly observed in cell and mice imaging. This study is of great significance for the rational design of novel targeted BODIPY probes with good hydrophilicity and biocompatibility.