Aptamers, the Nucleic Acid Antibodies, in Cancer Therapy
1
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Medicine, Yanan University, Yanan 716000, China
2
Division of Oncology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SA S7N 4H4, Canada
*
Authors to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2020, 21(8), 2793; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms21082793
Received: 16 December 2019
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Revised: 9 April 2020
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Accepted: 15 April 2020
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Published: 17 April 2020
(This article belongs to the Section Biochemistry)
The arrival of the monoclonal antibody (mAb) technology in the 1970s brought with it the hope of conquering cancers to the medical community. However, mAbs, on the whole, did not achieve the expected wonder in cancer therapy although they do have demonstrated successfulness in the treatment of a few types of cancers. In 1990, another technology of making biomolecules capable of specific binding appeared. This technique, systematic evolution of ligands by exponential enrichment (SELEX), can make aptamers, single-stranded DNAs or RNAs that bind targets with high specificity and affinity. Aptamers have some advantages over mAbs in therapeutic uses particularly because they have little or no immunogenicity, which means the feasibility of repeated use and fewer side effects. In this review, the general properties of the aptamer, the advantages and limitations of aptamers, the principle and procedure of aptamer production with SELEX, particularly the undergoing studies in aptamers for cancer therapy, and selected anticancer aptamers that have entered clinical trials or are under active investigations are summarized.
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MDPI and ACS Style
Fu, Z.; Xiang, J. Aptamers, the Nucleic Acid Antibodies, in Cancer Therapy. Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2020, 21, 2793. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms21082793
AMA Style
Fu Z, Xiang J. Aptamers, the Nucleic Acid Antibodies, in Cancer Therapy. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 2020; 21(8):2793. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms21082793
Chicago/Turabian StyleFu, Zhaoying, and Jim Xiang. 2020. "Aptamers, the Nucleic Acid Antibodies, in Cancer Therapy" International Journal of Molecular Sciences 21, no. 8: 2793. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms21082793
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