Reprograming cancer cells by a BODIPY G-quadruplex stabiliser.

A cationic BODIPY-based G-quadruplex-selective stabiliser is developed and shown to decrease cancer cell migration-invasion up to 90%. The expression of critical genes (HIF1α, VIM, CDH1) related to metastasis is modulated. The stabiliser reprograms hypoxia-adaptive metabolism and an 1.82-fold increase in O2 consumption, enabling back-to-normal switching of energy metabolism, is observed. Stabilisers with a strong G-quadruplex affinity (0.38 µM Kd) significantly contribute to small molecule anti-cancer approaches.