fluoroethylrhodamine ester

Fluoroethylrhodamine ester (RhoFe) is a fluorescent rhodamine B ester derivative developed as a "tumor painting" agent for the intraoperative visualization of glioblastoma (GBM). It belongs to a class of lipophilic cationic dyes known as Nernstian probes, which selectively accumulate in cells exhibiting hyperpolarization of the plasma and mitochondrial membrane potentials—a characteristic common in many cancers, including glioma. Preclinical studies in intracranial xenograft mouse models have shown that a single intravenous injection of RhoFe results in dramatic, selective fluorescence within tumor tissue, even in cases with minimal blood-brain barrier breakdown. Beyond its utility in fluorescence-guided surgery, RhoFe exhibits strong phototoxicity in cell culture, suggesting potential application as a photodynamic therapy (PDT) agent. The compound was developed by researchers at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.

Other names

fluoroethylrhodamine esterfluoroethyl rhodamine esterRhodamine B fluoroethyl ester