AS1411 Aptamer Linked to DNA Nanostructures Diverts Its Traffic Inside Cancer Cells and Improves Its Therapeutic Efficacy.

ABSTRACT: The nucleolin-binding G-quadruplex AS1411 aptamer has been widely used for cancer therapy and diagnosis and linked to nanoparticles for its selective targeting activity. We applied a computational and experimental integrated approach to study the effect of engineering AS1411 aptamer on an octahedral truncated DNA nanocage to obtain a nanostructure able to combine selective cancer-targeting and anti-tumor activity. The nanocages functionalized with one aptamer molecule (Apt-NC) displayed high stability in serum, were rapidly and selectively internalized in cancer cells through an AS1411-dependent mechanism, and showed over 200-fold increase in anti-cancer activity when compared with the free aptamer. Comparison of Apt-NCs and free AS1411 intracellular distribution showed that they traffic d

SUBMITTER: Vindigni G 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8541364 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature