17α-[(4-ethynylphenyl)-(4,4-difluoro-8-(1,3,5,7-tetramethyl-4-bora-3a,4a-diaza-s-indacene)]-11β-ome-3,17β-estradiol

17α-[(4-ethynylphenyl)-(4,4-difluoro-8-(1,3,5,7-tetramethyl-4-bora-3a,4a-diaza-s-indacene)]-11β-ome-3,17β-estradiol is a steroid-fluorophore conjugate designed for cancer theranostics. It consists of an 11β-methoxy-estradiol core, which provides high affinity for the estrogen receptor (ER), linked at the 17α position to a BODIPY (4,4-difluoro-4-bora-3a,4a-diaza-s-indacene) dye via a 4-ethynylphenyl spacer. This molecule functions as a fluorescent probe for imaging ER-positive cancer cells and as a photosensitizer for photodynamic therapy (PDT). Upon visible light irradiation, it induces cell death in cancer cell lines such as MCF-7 (breast cancer) and LNCaP (prostate cancer). The 11β-methoxy substitution is a critical modification that enhances the binding affinity and selectivity for the estrogen receptor compared to unsubstituted estradiol conjugates. The compound is internalized via energy-dependent clathrin- and caveolae-mediated endocytosis.

Other names

11β-methoxy-estradiol-BODIPY conjugate11β-OMe-E2-BODIPY