Aptamer-guided extracellular vesicle theranostics in oncology

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Nanotechnology
• Molecular Biology

Background:

• Exosomes are nanosized vesicles involved in intercellular communication and disease pathogenesis.
• Their cargo and interactions with cells make them crucial in homeostasis and disease.
• Exosome-based liquid biopsies offer a new frontier in precision medicine for early disease detection.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review current research on exosomes and aptamers in cancer theranostics.
• To highlight advances in exosome-based liquid biopsy and drug delivery.
• To discuss the clinical translation of these technologies.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of exosomes and aptamers in cancer theranostics.
• Analysis of exosome properties for diagnostic and therapeutic applications.
• Exploration of aptamer conjugation for targeted drug delivery.

Main Results:

• Exosomes serve as effective drug delivery vehicles due to their size and homing effects.
• Aptamers enhance exosome targeting and can act as diagnostic/therapeutic agents.
• Combined exosome-aptamer systems show significant potential in cancer theranostics.

Conclusions:

• Exosomes and aptamers represent a powerful combination for advancing cancer theranostics.
• Further research and clinical translation are needed to fully realize their potential.
• These technologies pave the way for next-generation precision medicine.