A multifunctional BODIPY based fluorescent probe for hydrogen sulfide detection and photodynamic anticancer therapy in HCT116 colon cancer cell

Development of multifunctional probes that can be simultaneously utilized for both efficient hydrogen sulfide detection and photodynamic therapy in cancer cells is in high demand but remains worldwide challenge. Herein, a fluorescent probe DB2T based on a BODIPY structure for H2S fluorescence “turn-on” detection together with light sensitive anticancer capacity has been designed and synthesized. The probe DB2T features high selectivity towards H2S, excellent low detection limit (6.39 nM), and good biocompatibility. Importantly, the probe DB2T has been satisfactorily applied in fluorescence imaging of exogenous H2S in zebrafish, and successfully employed in fluorescence imaging of endogenous H2S in HCT116 cell and tumor tissues. Moreover, evaluation of the phototherapy effect demonstrates that the probe DB2T performs well as a photosensitizer for photodynamic ablation of HCT116 cancer cells upon white light irradiation. This work should facilitate significant advances in rational design of fluorescence systems for H2S detection and even in the diagnosis and treatment of H2S related diseases.