Applications of Cancer Cell-Specific Aptamers in Targeted Delivery of Anticancer Therapeutic Agents.

Abstract

Aptamers are single-stranded oligonucleotides that specifically bind and interact with their corresponding targets, including proteins and cells, through unique three-dimensional structures. Numerous aptamers have been developed to target cancer biomarkers with high specificity and affinity, and some are employed as versatile guiding ligands for cancer-specific drug delivery and anti-cancer therapeutics. In this review, we list the aptamers that target tumor surface biomarkers and summarize the representative applications of aptamers as agonists and antagonists that activate anti-cancer and inactivate pro-cancer biomarkers, respectively. In addition, we describe applications of aptamer-drug or aptamer-oligonucleotide conjugates that can deliver therapeutic agents, including small interfering RNAs, micro RNAs, short hairpin RNAs, and chemotherapeutic molecules, to cancer cells. Moreover, we provide examples of aptamer- conjugated nano-vehicles, in which cancer-targeting oligonucleotide aptamers are conjugated with nano-vehicles such as liposomes, micelles, polymeric nanoparticles, and quantum dots. Conjugation of aptamers with anti-cancer drugs and nano-vehicles will facilitate innovative applications of aptamer-based cancer therapeutics.

• Authors: Minhee Kim, Dong-Min Kim, Keun-Sik Kim, Woong Jung, Dong-Eun Kim
• Journal: Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) (Molecules) Vol. 23 Issue 4 (Apr 04 2018) ISSN: 1420-3049 [Electronic] Switzerland
• PMID: 29617327 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Review)

Chemical References

• Antineoplastic Agents
• Aptamers, Nucleotide

Topics

• Animals
• Antineoplastic Agents (administration & dosage, therapeutic use)
• Aptamers, Nucleotide (administration & dosage, therapeutic use)
• Drug Delivery Systems
• Humans
• Neoplasms (drug therapy)