Bioimaging of Lysosomes with a BODIPY pH-Dependent Fluorescent Probe

• Published in: Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) Vol. 27; no. 22; p. 8065
• Main Authors: Gonçalves, Raquel C R, Belmonte-Reche, Efres, Pina, João, Costa da Silva, Milene, Pinto, Sónia C S, Gallo, Juan, Costa, Susana P G, Raposo, M Manuela M
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 20.11.2022; MDPI
• Subjects: bioimaging; BODIPY; Cell culture; Cell membranes; Cells (biology); Chemical compounds; Chromophores; Confocal microscopy; Fluorescence; Fluorescent Dyes - chemistry; Fluorescent indicators; fluorescent probe; Fluorophores; HeLa Cells; Humans; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; Investigations; Lysosomes; Lysosomes - metabolism; Medical imaging; Spatial discrimination; Spatial resolution; synthesis; synthesis; pH; BODIPY; lysosomes; fluorescent probe; bioimaging
• ISSN: 1420-3049; 1420-3049
• DOI: 10.3390/molecules27228065

Fluorescence-based probes represent a powerful tool for noninvasive imaging of living systems in real time and with a high temporal and spatial resolution. Amongst several known fluorophores, 3-difluoroborodipyrromethene (BODIPY) derivatives have become a cornerstone for innovative fluorescent labelling applications, mainly due to their advantageous features including their facile synthesis, structural versatility and exceptional photophysical properties. In this context, we report a BODIPY-based fluorescent probe for imaging of lysosomes in living cells. The BODIPY derivative displayed a remarkable fluorescence enhancement at low pH values with a pK * of 3.1. In vitro studies by confocal microscopy in HeLa cells demonstrated that the compound was able to permeate cell membrane and selectively label lysosome whilst remaining innocuous to the cell culture at the maximum concentration tested. Herein, the BODIPY derivative holds the promise of investigating lysosomal dynamics and function in living cells through fluorescence imaging.