Aptamer-gelatin composite for a trigger release system mediated by oligonucleotide hybridization

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Biotechnology
• Drug Delivery Systems

Background:

• Nucleic acid aptamers bind target proteins with high affinity.
• Aptamer-protein interactions can be modulated by hybridization with complementary oligonucleotides (CO), altering aptamer structure.
• Controlling the release of bioactive molecules is crucial for medical applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a novel aptamer-gelatin composite for controlled release of Platelet-Derived Growth Factor-BB (PDGF-BB).
• To investigate the effect of complementary oligonucleotides (CO) on modulating PDGF-BB release from the composite.

Main Methods:

• Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR) to observe aptamer-protein interaction changes upon CO hybridization.
• Immobilization of aptamers onto particles via biotin/streptavidin interaction.
• Preparation and characterization of aptamer-functionalized particle-gelatin composites.
• Quantification of PDGF-BB release using Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA).

Main Results:

• SPR confirmed that CO hybridization dissociates aptamers from bound proteins.
• The aptamer-gelatin composite demonstrated sustained release of PDGF-BB.
• Addition of CO significantly enhanced PDGF-BB release by disrupting aptamer structure and binding.

Conclusions:

• The aptamer-gelatin composite provides a tunable system for controlling bioactive molecule release.
• This strategy offers a promising approach for triggered release applications in medicine.
• Modulating aptamer secondary structure via CO hybridization is an effective method for release control.