Fluorescence lifetime imaging to investigate propofol-induced metabolic alterations in MDA-MB-231 cells

The metabolic effects of anesthetic agents like propofol on cancer cells remain poorly understood despite the widespread use of anesthesia during cancer diagnosis and treatment. Fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy (FLIM) was used to analyze propofol-induced metabolic changes in triple-negative breast cancer cells (MDA-MB-231) by monitoring endogenous NAD(P)H and FAD fluorescence lifetimes. FLIM of propofol-treated MDA-MB-231 cells revealed concentration-dependent shifts in metabolic states that were supported by Seahorse extracellular flux analysis. While the flux analysis provided population-averaged metabolic data, FLIM enabled high-resolution, dynamic mapping of metabolism in live cancer cells. Our study highlights FLIM as a label-free tool for investigating anesthetic-induced metabolic alterations in cells, offering insights into the potential metabolic mechanisms of propofol.