Cancer biomarker discovery using DNA aptamers

Area of Science:

• Biochemistry
• Molecular Biology
• Biotechnology

Background:

• Biomarkers are crucial for early disease diagnosis and personalized treatment, particularly in oncology.
• Reliable biomarker identification remains a significant challenge in clinical practice.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review current methods for biomarker discovery utilizing aptamers.
• To highlight the potential of aptamers in advancing biomarker-based diagnostics.

Main Methods:

• Aptamers are single-stranded DNA selected through Systematic Evolution of Ligands by Exponential Enrichment (SELEX).
• Aptamers offer high affinity and specificity for target recognition, comparable to antibodies.
• Advantages include ease of synthesis, stability, and design flexibility.

Main Results:

• Aptamers can be generated against complex biological samples to identify disease-specific proteins.
• These aptamer panels facilitate comprehensive biomarker recognition.
• Aptamers show significant promise as molecular probes for biomarker discovery.

Conclusions:

• Aptamers represent a powerful tool for identifying novel biomarkers.
• Their unique properties facilitate biomarker discovery and clinical applications.
• This review summarizes aptamer-based strategies for biomarker identification.