BODIPY-based photosensitizers for cancer phototherapy: photophysical modulation, ROS-mediated cell death and phototheranostic applications
- 1Chitkara University School of Pharmacy, Chitkara University Himachal Pradesh India
Abstract
Boron-dipyrromethene (BODIPY)-based systems represent a versatile class of photosensitizers for cancer phototherapy due to their tunable photophysical properties, structural stability and multifunctional adaptability. This review presents an integrated perspective on BODIPY photochemistry at the interface of tumor microenvironment (TME) engineering, regulated cell death (RCD), and cancer immunotherapy. Review begins with a summary of the fundamental photophysical principles of light absorption, excited state dynamics, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, which are the basis for rational photosensitizer design, advanced molecular engineering strategies such as the extension of π-conjugation, modulation of intersystem crossing, heavy-atom-free design and subcellular targeting are further highlighted for optimizing photodynamic performance. Particular attention is paid to TME-responsive systems that allow spatiotemporal activation under conditions such as hypoxia, acidity, and redox imbalance, which not only improve therapeutic selectivity but also actively reprogram the tumor microenvironment, further ROS mediated regulated cell death pathways such as apoptosis, ferroptosis and pyroptosis and their integration into immunogenic cell death and systemic immune activation studied. Review also discusses the combination of photodynamic therapy and immunotherapy, including multifunctional platforms that combine ROS generation and immune modulation to improve antitumor efficacy. Moreover, the recent advances of imaging-guided theranostic systems are summarized to show the capabilities of BODIPY-based platforms in real-time monitoring and precision therapy. Finally, current challenges related to oxygen dependence, formulation, biosafety, biodegradability and clinical translation are discussed, together with future directions for the development of adaptive and clinically relevant systems. Overall, this review provides a unifying framework linking BODIPY molecular design with biological and therapeutic outcomes, offering insights into the development of next-generation BODIPY-based phototheranostic platforms.
Related
- Synthesis and Functional Properties of Fluorinated Phosphonate‐Substituted Porphyrins: Excellent Photosensitizers and Robust Precursors for Photoactive Langmuir–Schaefer Films
- Unlocking the Potential of Ommatins as Sustainable Photosensitizers for Photodynamic Therapy
- Structure–Driven Intramolecular Charge Transfer Modulation in Imidazole Fluorophores for Selective Hydrazine Detection and Forensic Applications
- Structural Engineering Modulation of Metal Sulfide Photocatalysts from Charge Regulation Mechanisms to Practical Applications
- Synthesis and Photophysical Properties of Novel 1H-Indazole-3-carbohydrazides: Computational and Crystallographic Insights
BibTeX
@article{sharma2026bodipybased,
title = {{BODIPY-based photosensitizers for cancer phototherapy: photophysical modulation, ROS-mediated cell death and phototheranostic applications}},
author = {Lovish Sharma and Tamanna Chouhan and Komal Pathania and Naresh Kumar Rangra},
journal = {RSC advances},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.1039/d6ra08100b},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/PMC/PMC13674569},
note = {CC BY-NC},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - BODIPY-based photosensitizers for cancer phototherapy: photophysical modulation, ROS-mediated cell death and phototheranostic applications
AU - Lovish Sharma
AU - Tamanna Chouhan
AU - Komal Pathania
AU - Naresh Kumar Rangra
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/16
JO - RSC advances
DO - 10.1039/d6ra08100b
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/PMC/PMC13674569
AB - Boron-dipyrromethene (BODIPY)-based systems represent a versatile class of photosensitizers for cancer phototherapy due to their tunable photophysical properties, structural stability and multifunctional adaptability. This review presents an integrated perspective on BODIPY photochemistry at the interface of tumor microenvironment (TME) engineering, regulated cell death (RCD), and cancer immunotherapy. Review begins with a summary of the fundamental photophysical principles of light absorption, excited state dynamics, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, which are the basis for rational photosensitizer design, advanced molecular engineering strategies such as the extension of π-conjugation, modulation of intersystem crossing, heavy-atom-free design and subcellular targeting are further highlighted for optimizing photodynamic performance. Particular attention is paid to TME-responsive systems that allow spatiotemporal activation under conditions such as hypoxia, acidity, and redox imbalance, which not only improve therapeutic selectivity but also actively reprogram the tumor microenvironment, further ROS mediated regulated cell death pathways such as apoptosis, ferroptosis and pyroptosis and their integration into immunogenic cell death and systemic immune activation studied. Review also discusses the combination of photodynamic therapy and immunotherapy, including multifunctional platforms that combine ROS generation and immune modulation to improve antitumor efficacy. Moreover, the recent advances of imaging-guided theranostic systems are summarized to show the capabilities of BODIPY-based platforms in real-time monitoring and precision therapy. Finally, current challenges related to oxygen dependence, formulation, biosafety, biodegradability and clinical translation are discussed, together with future directions for the development of adaptive and clinically relevant systems. Overall, this review provides a unifying framework linking BODIPY molecular design with biological and therapeutic outcomes, offering insights into the development of next-generation BODIPY-based phototheranostic platforms.
SN - 2046-2069
ER -