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9.9
5.1
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Cells
Special Issues
Frontiers in Aptamers
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Frontiers in Aptamers

A special issue of Cells (ISSN 2073-4409). This special issue belongs to the section "Cell and Gene Therapy".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 June 2022) | Viewed by 18191

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Yoshikazu Nakamura

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Division of RNA Medical Science, Institute of Medical Science, University of Tokyo, 4-6-1 Shirokanedai, Minato-ku, Tokyo 108-8639, Japan
Interests: RNA; aptamer; therapeutics; ribosome

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

In the process of basic research on the termination of protein synthesis, a group of translational regulators have structures and functions similar to tRNA. From the research on molecular mimicry, it has become clear that RNA has a "modeling power" that can mimic various proteins or just fit and bind to it and suppress its action. RNA molecules that fit and bind to such target proteins are called "aptamers." Aptamers can be fished from a random sequence RNA pool using a target protein as "bait" by a method called SELEX.

Since the action of aptamers is similar to that of antibodies, they are also called "nucleic acid antibodies". Antibodies have made great progress as pharmaceuticals, and it is expected that aptamer-based pharmaceuticals will become epoch-making next-generation pharmaceuticals to replace antibodies.

In this Special Issue, we hope to provide a platform to research on the aptamer, which are extremely important as "drug discovery targets" and "cell markers." We would like to aim for a wide range of development by actively working on it.

We look forward to your contributions.

Prof. Yoshikazu Nakamura
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Cells is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • SELEX
  • oligonucleotide
  • chemistry
  • therapy
  • diagnosis
  • device
  • computational design
  • artificial intelligence
  • cell biology

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Review

12 pages, 2702 KiB  
Review
Nucleic Acid Aptamers Emerging as Modulators of G-Protein-Coupled Receptors: Challenge to Difficult Cell Surface Proteins
by Masaki Takahashi
Cells 2022, 11(11), 1825; https://doi.org/10.3390/cells11111825 - 2 Jun 2022
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 3225
Abstract
G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), among various cell surface proteins, are essential targets in the fields of basic science and drug discovery. The discovery and development of modulators for the receptors have provided deep insights into the mechanism of action of receptors and have led [...] Read more.
G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), among various cell surface proteins, are essential targets in the fields of basic science and drug discovery. The discovery and development of modulators for the receptors have provided deep insights into the mechanism of action of receptors and have led to a new therapeutic option for human diseases. Although various modulators against GPCRs have been developed to date, the identification of new modulators for GPCRs remains a challenge due to several technical problems and limitations. To overcome this situation, a variety of strategies have been developed by several modalities, including nucleic acid aptamers, which are emerging as unique molecules isolated by a repetitive selection process against various types of targets from an enormous combinatorial library. This review summarized the achievements in the development of aptamers targeting GPCRs, and discussed their isolation methods and the diverse functional features of aptamers against GPCRs. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Frontiers in Aptamers)
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33 pages, 50489 KiB  
Review
Aptamer-Enabled Nanomaterials for Therapeutics, Drug Targeting and Imaging
by Mengping Liu, Lin Wang, Young Lo, Simon Chi-Chin Shiu, Andrew B. Kinghorn and Julian A. Tanner
Cells 2022, 11(1), 159; https://doi.org/10.3390/cells11010159 - 4 Jan 2022
Cited by 50 | Viewed by 7562
Abstract
A wide variety of nanomaterials have emerged in recent years with advantageous properties for a plethora of therapeutic and diagnostic applications. Such applications include drug delivery, imaging, anti-cancer therapy and radiotherapy. There is a critical need for further components which can facilitate therapeutic [...] Read more.
A wide variety of nanomaterials have emerged in recent years with advantageous properties for a plethora of therapeutic and diagnostic applications. Such applications include drug delivery, imaging, anti-cancer therapy and radiotherapy. There is a critical need for further components which can facilitate therapeutic targeting, augment their physicochemical properties, or broaden their theranostic applications. Aptamers are single-stranded nucleic acids which have been selected or evolved to bind specifically to molecules, surfaces, or cells. Aptamers can also act as direct biologic therapeutics, or in imaging and diagnostics. There is a rich field of discovery at the interdisciplinary interface between nanomaterials and aptamer science that has significant potential across biomedicine. Herein, we review recent progress in aptamer-enabled materials and discuss pending challenges for their future biomedical application. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Frontiers in Aptamers)
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Graphical abstract

10 pages, 1808 KiB  
Review
Multiple Therapeutic Applications of RBM-007, an Anti-FGF2 Aptamer
by Yoshikazu Nakamura
Cells 2021, 10(7), 1617; https://doi.org/10.3390/cells10071617 - 28 Jun 2021
Cited by 27 | Viewed by 6491
Abstract
Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) plays a pivotal role in angiogenesis, but is not the only player with an angiogenic function. Fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF2), which was discovered before VEGF, is also an angiogenic growth factor. It has been shown that FGF2 plays [...] Read more.
Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) plays a pivotal role in angiogenesis, but is not the only player with an angiogenic function. Fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF2), which was discovered before VEGF, is also an angiogenic growth factor. It has been shown that FGF2 plays positive pathophysiological roles in tissue remodeling, bone health, and regeneration, such as the repair of neuronal damage, skin wound healing, joint protection, and the control of hypertension. Targeting FGF2 as a therapeutic tool in disease treatment through clinically useful inhibitors has not been developed until recently. An isolated inhibitory RNA aptamer against FGF2, named RBM-007, has followed an extensive preclinical study, with two clinical trials in phase 2 and phase 1, respectively, underway to assess the therapeutic impact in age-related macular degeneration (wet AMD) and achondroplasia (ACH), respectively. Moreover, showing broad therapeutic potential, preclinical evidence supports the use of RBM-007 in the treatment of lung cancer and cancer pain. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Frontiers in Aptamers)
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