Application of meso-CF3-Fluorophore BODIPY with Phenyl and Pyrazolyl Substituents for Lifetime Visualization of Lysosomes

A bright far-red emitting unsymmetrical meso-CF3-BODIPY fluorescent dye with phenyl and pyrazolyl substituents was synthesized by condensation of trifluoropyrrolylethanol with pyrazolyl-pyrrole, with subsequent oxidation and complexation of the formed dipyrromethane. This BODIPY dye exhibits optical absorption at lambda(ab) approximate to 610-620 nm and emission at lambda(em) approximate to 640-650 nm. The BODIPY was studied on Ehrlich carcinoma cells as a lysosome-specific fluorescent dye that allows intravital staining of cell structures with subsequent real-time monitoring of changes occurring in the cells. It was also shown that the rate of uptake by cells, the rate of intracellular transport into lysosomes, and the rate of saturation of cells with the dye depend on its concentration in the culture medium. A concentration of 5 mu M was chosen as the most suitable BODIPY concentration for fluorescent staining of living cell lysosomes, while a concentration of 100 mu M was found to be toxic to Ehrlich carcinoma cells.

Automated summary

A bright far-red emitting unsymmetrical meso-CF3-BODIPY fluorescent dye was synthesized and studied as a lysosome-specific fluorescent dye in Ehrlich carcinoma cells.