Aptamers: A New Technological Platform in Cancer Immunotherapy

Area of Science:

• Immunology
• Oncology
• Biotechnology

Background:

• Cancer immunotherapy, particularly immune-checkpoint blockade antibodies, is a rapidly advancing field with significant clinical impact.
• Monoclonal antibodies have shown efficacy but are associated with auto-inflammatory toxicity and limited clinical benefit in many patients.
• There is an urgent need for novel therapeutic reagents with improved safety profiles and broader antitumor effects.

Approach:

• This review explores the recent applications of oligonucleotide aptamers in cancer immunotherapy.
• Aptamers are investigated as both antagonists of immune-checkpoint receptors and agonists of immunostimulatory receptors.
• The engineering simplicity of aptamers allows for specific cargo delivery to tumor and immune cells.

Key Points:

• Aptamers demonstrate potential for targeted cancer therapy by modulating immune responses.
• They offer advantages over antibodies, including simpler engineering and potentially lower toxicity.
• Preclinical data suggest aptamers can be used to activate or inhibit immune pathways for antitumor effects.

Conclusions:

• Oligonucleotide aptamers represent a promising new class of therapeutic agents for cancer immunotherapy.
• Their versatility in targeting immune pathways and delivering payloads could overcome limitations of current antibody-based treatments.
• Further research into aptamer applications may lead to more effective and safer cancer treatments.