Imaging of intracellular singlet oxygen with bright BODIPY dyes

Abstract

Singlet oxygen is a cytotoxic reactive species which is involved in the photodynamic therapy of cancer. It is also known to be produced endogenously in most eukaryotic cells and implicated in many biochemical processes, including apoptotic response. We now report that Bodipy based fluorescent dyes with singlet oxygen reactive modules, signal the intracellular generation of singlet oxygen through photosensitization. We believe long wavelength probes of singlet oxygen, based on this approach will be highly valuable.