USE OF DNA APTAMERS FOR TARGETED DELIVERY OF CHEMOTHERAPEUTIC AGENTS
The development of safe and efficacious chemotherapeutics has been the goal of cancer researchers for decades. Many different methods have been used to pursue this goal ranging from small molecules that act targets to large biomolecules such as antibodies. Aptamers are a new class of biomolecules similar to antibodies in that they fold into 3D shapes which specifically bind to a target of interest, but differ in that they are composed of single stranded RNA or DNA. Aptamers are selected for using the SELEX method and can be designed to bind nearly any target the researcher desires. Aptamers are chemically and thermally more stable than proteins and can be modified in a variety of ways to alter their function. This can include cytotoxic nucleotides, phosphorothioate backbones to increase enzymatic resistance, dyes, and chemically reactive groups as a few of the possibilities. Other nucleic acids, such as siRNA can be delivered via aptamers. This adaptability makes aptamers ideal candidates for drug delivery purposes.
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