Medical applications of aptamers

Abstract

Aptamers define a new interesting class of receptor molecules with capability of binding to potentially any kind of molecules of interest. Structurally, they are composed of nucleic acids (RNA, DNA or a mixture of both) with high specificity and affinity to amino acids, drugs, proteins and other molecules. Apatmers are isolated from complex libraries of synthetic nucleic acids against the desired target molecules. They can be chemically modified to increase their stability and availability in biological environments. These molecules have potential applications in diagnostic assays such as conventional immunoassays, and in analytical devices including biosensors. Aptamers have been recently applied as antibodies against viral antigens and several key target molecules in cellular metabolic pathways. In this article, aptamers and their application in nanomedicine have been reviewed.