DNA Aptamer Technology for Personalized Medicine

Abstract

This review highlights recent progress in developing DNA aptamers for personalized medicine, with more focus on in vivo studies for potential clinical applications. Examples include design of aptamers in combination with DNA nanostructures, nanomaterials, or microfluidic devices as diagnostic probes or therapeutic agents for cancers and other diseases. The use of aptamers as targeting agents in drug delivery is also covered. The advantages and future directions of such DNA aptamer-based technology for the continued development of personalized medicine are discussed.

Keywords: DNA aptamer; cancer; diagnosis; personalized medicine; targeted delivery; therapy.

Figure 1

Top: Graph showing the number of publications over the past ten years with title containing “aptamer” (red) or “personalized medicine” (blue) respectively, according to Web of Science. * The number of publications in 2013 is counted until November. Bottom: Representative DNA aptamers to protein targets of therapeutic interest.

Figure 2

(a) Schematic illustration of the protection of PEI on DNA and targeted imaging with PEI/aptamer complexes. Adapted from [19]. (b) Schematic view of the synthesis of DNA aptamer-functionalized UCNPs from as-prepared hydrophobic UCNPs and targeted imaging using aptamer-modified UCNPs. Confocal microscopy images of MCF-7 cells treated with aptamer-UCNPs (left) and control-UCNPs (right). Adapted from [21]. (c) Schematic view of the preparation of aptamer-functionalized dual-labeled silica NCs for PET and NIR fluorescence imaging. In vivo whole-body PET/CT imaging of BALB/c mice after hock injection of dual-labeled control-NCs and aptamer-NCs. Adapted from [22]. (d) Design of the aptamer-assisted selective high-throughput detection of biomarkers using MALDI-TOF MS. Adapted from [30].

Figure 3

(a) Schematic of the self-assembly of aptamer-tethered DNA nanotrains (aptNTrs) and the illustration of the drug transportation process via aptNTrs to target cells. Adapted from [37]. (b) Schematic illustration of the assembly of aptamer-conjugated liposomes with encapsulated cargos and confocal microscope images of MCF-7 cells treated with non-aptamer-conjugated liposomes and aptamer-conjugated liposomes in cell culture (left) and in tumor tissue sections (right). Adapted from [40]. (c) Schematic view of the light-scattering detection of S. aureus cells using aptamer-conjugated gold nanoparticles. Adapted from [47].

Figure 4

A scheme showing how DNA aptamer technology powers future personalized medicine.