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Aptamers as an approach to targeted cancer therapy.

ABSTRACT: Conventional cancer treatments can cause serious side effects because they are not specific to cancer cells and can damage healthy cells. Aptamers often are single-stranded oligonucleotides arranged in a unique architecture, allowing them to bind specifically to target sites. This feature makes them an ideal choice for targeted therapeutics. They are typically produced through the systematic evolution of ligands by exponential enrichment (SELEX) and undergo extensive pharmacological revision to modify their affinity, specificity, and therapeutic half-life. Aptamers can act as drugs themselves, directly inhibiting tumor cells. Alternatively, they can be used in targeted drug delivery systems to transport drugs directly to tumor cells, minimizing toxicity to healthy cells. In this review, we will discuss the latest and most advanced approaches to using aptamers for cancer treatment, particularly targeted therapy overcoming resistance to conventional therapies.

SUBMITTER: Mahmoudian F

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10943855 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Aptamers as an approach to targeted cancer therapy.

Mahmoudian Fatemeh F Ahmari Azin A Shabani Shiva S Sadeghi Bahman B Fahimirad Shohreh S Fattahi Fahimeh F

Cancer cell international 20240316 1

Conventional cancer treatments can cause serious side effects because they are not specific to cancer cells and can damage healthy cells. Aptamers often are single-stranded oligonucleotides arranged in a unique architecture, allowing them to bind specifically to target sites. This feature makes them an ideal choice for targeted therapeutics. They are typically produced through the systematic evolution of ligands by exponential enrichment (SELEX) and undergo extensive pharmacological revision to ...[more]

PMID: 38493153

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