Related Experiment Video
Updated: Nov 2, 2025
A Flow Cytometry-Based Cell Surface Protein Binding Assay for Assessing Selectivity and Specificity of an Anticancer Aptamer
Published on: September 13, 2022
Advances in Screening and Development of Therapeutic Aptamers Against Cancer Cells
Zheng Li1, Xuekun Fu1, Jie Huang1
1Department of Biology, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China.
Abstract:
Cancer has become the leading cause of death in recent years. As great advances in medical treatment, emerging therapies of various cancers have been developed. Current treatments include surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and targeted therapy. Aptamers are synthetic ssDNA or RNA. They can bind tightly to target molecules due to their unique tertiary structure. It is easy for aptamers to be screened, synthesized, programmed, and chemically modified. Aptamers are emerging targeted drugs that hold great potentials, called therapeutic aptamers. There are few types of therapeutic aptamers that have already been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for disease treatment. Now more and more therapeutic aptamers are in the stage of preclinical research or clinical trials. This review summarized the screening and development of therapeutic aptamers against different types of cancer cells.
Insights
Therapeutic aptamers, which are synthetic DNA or RNA molecules, show great potential for cancer treatment. This review covers their development and screening for targeting various cancer cells.
Area of Science:
- Biotechnology
- Molecular Biology
- Oncology
Background:
- Cancer is a leading cause of death, necessitating novel therapeutic strategies.
- Current cancer treatments include surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and targeted therapy.
- Aptamers, synthetic nucleic acid molecules, offer unique binding capabilities and ease of modification.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the screening and development of therapeutic aptamers for various cancer types.
- To highlight the potential of aptamers as emerging targeted cancer drugs.
- To discuss the current status of therapeutic aptamers in research and clinical trials.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of aptamer screening and development methodologies.
- Analysis of aptamer selection techniques for specific cancer cell targets.
- Examination of chemical modifications enhancing aptamer stability and efficacy.
Main Results:
- Aptamers demonstrate high specificity and affinity for cancer cells.
- Several therapeutic aptamers have received FDA approval or are in clinical trials.
- The review summarizes aptamer development against diverse cancer cell types.
Conclusions:
- Therapeutic aptamers represent a promising class of targeted cancer therapies.
- Continued research and development are crucial for realizing the full potential of aptamers.
- Aptamers offer a versatile platform for personalized cancer treatment strategies.
Related Concept Videos
02:57Targeted Cancer Therapies
There are several types of targeted therapies against...
02:50Combination Therapies and Personalized Medicine
The combination of the drug acetazolamide and sulforaphane is a good example of combination therapy to treat cancer. The cells in the interior of a large tumor often die due to the hypoxic and...