Chavda, JaydeepsinhJaydeepsinhChavdaSiwach, ArjunArjunSiwachSabharwal, SudhirSudhirSabharwalJanaagal, AnuAnuJanaagalBhatia, DhirajDhirajBhatiaGupta, ItiItiGupta2025-08-312025-08-312024-12-1210.1021/acsmedchemlett.4c002752-s2.0-85204067349http://repository.iitgn.ac.in/handle/IITG2025/28605Lysosomal enzymes and high accumulation of lipid droplets are associated with breast cancer. The lysosomes and lipid droplets were monitored by BODIPYs, acting as autophagy activators in cancer cells. BD-1 and BD-2 were synthesized and characterized by Mass, UV-visible, fluorescence, and NMR spectroscopies. In BODIPYs, the effect of carbazole groups was reflected by the large Stokes shifts (2143-1651 cm^-1) and red fluorescence. BODIPYs generated ROS and induced autophagy in triple negative breast cancer cells (MDA-MB-231) under white light. Confocal experiments revealed that BD-1 and BD-2 preferentially colocalized in lysosomes and lipid droplets. Autophagic lysosomes and lipid droplets released Ca²⁺ ions in the cytoplasm, which was evident with blue fluorescence of Fura-2M dye. In combination with an autophagy inhibitor, BD-1 displayed excellent photocytotoxicity (5.57 μM) on triple negative breast cancer cells under white light. This work demonstrates the potential of BODIPYs as theranostic agents for the photodynamic therapy against TNBC.falseautophagy | BODIPY | breast cancer | lipid droplets | lysosome targeting | PDTArticle194858752115-212012 December 20241arJournal1WOS:001313766500001