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Updated: Oct 9, 2026
Primer-Free Aptamer Selection Using A Random DNA Library
Published on: July 26, 2010
Selection and Characterization of a Novel DNA Aptamer, Apt-07S Specific to Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells
Xiao-Xia Yu1, Ke-Li Ge2, Ning Liu3
1Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Basic Medical College, Qingdao University, Qingdao, Shandong Province 266071, People's Republic of China.
Background:
The efficacy of traditional therapeutic methods for liver cancer is unsatisfying because of the poor targeting, and inefficient drug delivery system. A recent study has proven that aptamers, developed through cell-SELEX, could specifically recognize cancer cells and show great potential in the development of a delivery system for anticancer drugs.
Purpose:
To develop a hepatocellular carcinoma specific aptamer using two kinds of hepatocellular carcinoma cell lines, HepG2 and SMMC-7721, as double targets and a normal hepatocyte, L02, as a negative control cell.
Methods:
Hepatocellular carcinoma specific aptamer was developed via cell-SELEX. The enrichment of the library was monitored by flow cytometric analysis. The specificity, affinity, and distribution of the candidate aptamer were explored. Further study was carried to assess its potential in drug delivery.
Results:
The library was enriched after 14 rounds of screening. Candidate aptamer Apt-07S can recognize four kinds of hepatocellular carcinoma cells and show little cell-binding ability to normal cells and four cell lines of different cancer types, revealing a high specificity of Apt-07S. Confocal imaging showed that Apt-07S distributed both on the surface and in the cytoplasm of the two target cells. Moreover, an anti-sense nucleotide to gene Plk1 (ASO-Plk1) was connected at the 3' end of Apt-07S to form an integrated molecule (Apt-07S-ASO-Plk1); the functional analysis indicated that the structure of Apt-07S may help ASO-Plk1 enter the cancer cells.
Conclusion:
The study indicates that Apt-07S can specifically target HCC and may have potential in the delivery of anticancer drugs.
Insights
Researchers developed a specific aptamer (Apt-07S) that targets liver cancer cells. This aptamer shows potential for delivering anticancer drugs, improving upon traditional therapies.
Area of Science:
- Biotechnology
- Molecular Biology
- Cancer Research
Background:
- Traditional liver cancer therapies suffer from poor targeting and drug delivery.
- Aptamers, developed via cell-SELEX, offer specific cancer cell recognition and potential drug delivery applications.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC)-specific aptamer.
- Utilized HepG2 and SMMC-7721 HCC cell lines as targets and L02 normal hepatocytes as a negative control.
Main Methods:
- Employed cell-SELEX (Systematic Evolution of Ligands by Exponential Enrichment) to generate aptamers.
- Monitored library enrichment using flow cytometry.
- Evaluated candidate aptamer specificity, affinity, and distribution, and assessed drug delivery potential.
Main Results:
- Screening yielded Apt-07S, which specifically recognizes four HCC cell lines with minimal binding to normal cells.
- Confocal imaging revealed Apt-07S localization on the surface and within the cytoplasm of target cells.
- An integrated molecule (Apt-07S-ASO-Plk1) demonstrated potential for intracellular delivery of anti-sense oligonucleotides.
Conclusions:
- Apt-07S exhibits high specificity for hepatocellular carcinoma cells.
- The developed aptamer holds promise as a targeted delivery vehicle for anticancer therapeutics.
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