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

17α-[(4-ethynylphenyl)-(4,4-difluoro-8-(1,3,5,7-tetramethyl-4-bora-3a,4a-diaza-s-indacene)]-3,17β-estradiol is a fluorescent steroid-BODIPY conjugate developed as a theranostic agent for the imaging and treatment of estrogen receptor (ER)-positive cancers. The molecule consists of a 17β-estradiol core functionalized at the 17α position with a BODIPY (boron-dipyrromethene) fluorophore via a rigid 4-ethynylphenyl linker. This structural configuration allows the conjugate to maintain binding affinity for estrogen receptors (ERα and ERβ), facilitating receptor-mediated cellular uptake in breast and prostate cancer cells. Beyond its utility as a fluorescent probe for diagnostic imaging, the BODIPY moiety acts as a photosensitizer that generates reactive oxygen species upon exposure to visible light, enabling its use in photodynamic therapy (PDT) to induce targeted cell death in cancer cells.

Other names

17α-[4-(4,4-difluoro-1,3,5,7-tetramethyl-4-bora-3a,4a-diaza-s-indacene-8-yl)phenylethynyl]estradiol