Special reactive oxygen species generation by a highly photostable BODIPY-based photosensitizer for selective photodynamic therapy.

We introduce a new class of photostable, efficient photosensitizers based on boron-dipyrromethene (BODIPY) derivatives that can generate singlet oxygen and super oxide simultaneously under irradiation. For compound preparation, appropriate regulation of the reaction conditions and control of specifically substituted BODIPY derivatives have been achieved. After biologically evaluating the intracellular uptake, localization, and phototoxicity of the compounds, we conclude that 3,5-dianiline-substituted BODIPY is a potentially selective photodynamic therapy candidate because its photodamage is more efficient in cancer cells than in normal cells, without apparent dark toxicity. Furthermore, direct comparison of photodamage efficacy revealed that our compound has better efficacy than Foscan and nearly equal efficacy to that of methylene blue.