BODIPY-Based Fluorescent Probes Distinguish the Heterogeneity of Lipid Droplets in Carotid and Femoral Atherosclerotic Plaques

Abstract

Atherosclerosis (AS) is a complex and chronic disease that causes severe cardiovascular events and further death worldwide. Lipid droplets (LDs) are closely involved in AS plaque initialtion and development. Therefore, visualization and quantification of the complexity of LDs may assist in understanding atherosclerotic plaque biology and assessing lesion stability. In this study, we reported lipophilic fluorescent sensors based on BODIPY scaffold (P1 & P2). These probes exhibited fluorescence responsiveness in oil/water systems and lipid droplet mimics(LDM), with detection limits as low as 50 μg·mL-1. In cellular milieu, probes effectively tracked LD accumulation induced by oxidized low density lipoprotein (ox-LDL) as well as lipid suppression treated by rosiglitazone. Ex vivo imaging of atherosclerotic plaques in ApoE⁻/⁻ mice and human tissues further demonstrated that these probes were capable of distinguishing pathological characteristics among various vascular regions. Together, these results highlighted the first application of LDs sensors in sensing the distinct lipidic lesions in patients’ biopised atherosclerotic plaques, implying their organ-specific pathogenesis.