Novel estrogen receptor β/histone deacetylase dual-targeted near-infrared fluorescent probes as theranostic agents for imaging and treatment of prostate cancer

Estrogen receptor (ER) β and histone deacetylases (HDACs), when overexpressed, are associated closely with the occurrence and development of prostate cancer and are, therefore, considered important targets and biomarkers used in the clinical treatment of prostate cancer. The present study involved the design and synthesis of the first ERβ and HDAC dual-target near-infrared fluorescent probe with both imaging capacity and antitumor activity for prostate cancer. Both P1 and P2 probes exhibited excellent ERβ selectivity, with P1 being almost exclusively selective for ERβ compared to ERα. In addition, P1 exhibited good optical properties, such as strong near-infrared emission, large Stokes shift, and better anti-interference ability, along with excellent imaging ability for living cells. P1 also exhibited potent inhibitory activity against HDAC6 and DU-145 cells, with IC50 values of 52 nM and 0.96 μM, respectively. Further, P1 was applied successfully for the in vivo imaging of prostate cancer in a mouse model, and significant in vivo antitumor efficacy was achieved. The developed dual-target NIR fluorescent probe is expected to serve as an effective tool in the research on prostate cancer, leading to novel insights for the theranostic study of diseases related to ERβ and HDACs.