BODIPYS Based\nFluorescent Markers To Monitor Autophagic\nLysosomes and Lipid Droplets in TNBC

Lysosomal enzymes and high accumulation of lipid droplets\nare associated\nwith breast cancer. The lysosomes and lipid droplets were monitored\nby BODIPYs, acting as autophagy activators in cancer cells. <b>BD-1</b> and <b>BD-2</b> were synthesized and characterized\nby Mass, UV–visible, fluorescence, and NMR spectroscopies.\nIn BODIPYs, the effect of carbazole groups was reflected by the large\nStokes shifts (2143–1651 cm<sup>–1</sup>) and red fluorescence.\nBODIPYs generated ROS and induced autophagy in triple negative breast\ncancer cells (MDA-MB-231) under white light. Confocal experiments\nrevealed that <b>BD-1</b> and <b>BD-2</b> preferentially\ncolocalized in lysosomes and lipid droplets. Autophagic lysosomes\nand lipid droplets released Ca<sup>2+</sup> ions in the cytoplasm,\nwhich was evident with blue fluorescence of Fura-2M dye. In combination\nwith an autophagy inhibitor, <b>BD-1</b> displayed excellent\nphotocytotoxicity (5.57 μM) on triple negative breast cancer\ncells under white light. This work demonstrates the potential of BODIPYs\nas theranostic agents for the photodynamic therapy against TNBC.