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Aptamers as Theragnostic Tools in Prostate Cancer
Carlos David Cruz-Hernández1, Griselda Rodríguez-Martínez1, Sergio A Cortés-Ramírez1
1Laboratorio de Oncogenómica, Instituto Nacional de Medicina Genómica (INMEGEN), Mexico City 14610, Mexico.
Abstract:
Despite of the capacity that several drugs have for specific inhibition of the androgen receptor (AR), in most cases, PCa progresses to an androgen-independent stage. In this context, the development of new targeted therapies for prostate cancer (PCa) has remained as a challenge. To overcome this issue, new tools, based on nucleic acids technology, have been developed. Aptamers are small oligonucleotides with a three-dimensional structure capable of interacting with practically any desired target, even large targets such as mammalian cells or viruses. Recently, aptamers have been studied for treatment and detection of many diseases including cancer. In PCa, numerous works have reported their use in the development of new approaches in diagnostics and treatment strategies. Aptamers have been joined with drugs or other specific molecules such as silencing RNAs (aptamer-siRNA chimeras) to specifically reduce the expression of oncogenes in PCa cells. Even though these studies have shown good results in the early stages, more research is still needed to demonstrate the clinical value of aptamers in PCa. The aim of this review was to compile the existing scientific literature regarding the use of aptamers in PCa in both diagnosis and treatment studies. Since Prostate-Specific Membrane Antigen (PSMA) aptamers are the most studied type of aptamers in this field, special emphasis was given to these aptamers.
Insights
Aptamers, a nucleic acid technology, show promise for prostate cancer (PCa) diagnosis and treatment by targeting specific molecules. Further research is needed to establish their clinical value in PCa therapy.
Area of Science:
- Biotechnology
- Molecular Biology
- Oncology
Background:
- Prostate cancer (PCa) often progresses to an androgen-independent stage despite current therapies targeting the androgen receptor (AR).
- Developing novel targeted therapies for PCa remains a significant challenge.
- Nucleic acid-based technologies, such as aptamers, offer new therapeutic and diagnostic avenues.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the current literature on the application of aptamers in prostate cancer (PCa) for both diagnostic and therapeutic purposes.
- To highlight the potential of aptamers as targeted agents in PCa management.
- To emphasize the role of Prostate-Specific Membrane Antigen (PSMA) aptamers in PCa research.
Main Methods:
- Systematic review of existing scientific literature on aptamers in PCa.
- Analysis of studies utilizing aptamers for PCa diagnosis.
- Evaluation of research on aptamer-based therapeutic strategies for PCa, including aptamer-siRNA chimeras.
Main Results:
- Aptamers demonstrate potential for specific targeting of cancer cells and molecules relevant to PCa.
- Numerous studies report the use of aptamers in developing novel diagnostic tools and treatment strategies for PCa.
- Aptamer-siRNA chimeras have shown efficacy in reducing oncogene expression in PCa cells in early-stage research.
Conclusions:
- Aptamers represent a promising nucleic acid technology for advancing PCa diagnosis and treatment.
- While early studies are encouraging, further research is essential to validate the clinical utility of aptamers in PCa.
- Prostate-Specific Membrane Antigen (PSMA) aptamers are a key focus area with significant potential in PCa applications.
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