Application of Nucleic Acid Aptamers to Viral Detection and Inhibition

Abstract

Nucleic acid aptamers are small oligonucleotides that specifically bind to other molecules through noncovalent interactions that rely on complex tridimensional structural arrangements. Aptamers are generated through the iterative in vitro selection method called SE-LEX, resulting in specific binding against a wide variety of molecular targets including viruses. Because aptamers are obtained in vitro and can be synthetically produced, they have been envisioned as future diagnostic and therapeutic tools for human diseases including virus-borne pathologies. Aptamers have been isolated against a number of viruses including pandemic influenza virus, human papillomavirus and hepatitis C virus. Although aptamers have proven themselves as extremely sensitive detection tools triggering the development of affordable and highly diagnostic methods, their use as therapeutic moieties has been hampered by biostability, delivery and pharmacodynamical issues. Nevertheless, a new generation of chemically modified aptamers shows promise for the coming of age of protein-targeted noncatalytic oligonucleotides for the therapy of viral disease. The present review focuses on the most successful antiviral aptamers reported and includes a description of some of the novel methods developed for their use as diagnostic and therapeutic tools

Nucleic aptamer modified porous reduced graphene oxide/MoS2 based electrodes for viral detection: Application to human papillomavirus (HPV)

“…Next to nucleic-hybridization assays, electrochemical sensors are highly adapted for the detection of aptamer-protein interactions [20]. Several aptamers have been proposed against viral proteins to help in the specific detection of the virus, including HPV [21]. One of these structures showing a very low K D of 0.05 pM is the RNA aptamer targeting the L1 protein (Sc5-C3) [22].…”

Rabies Prophylactic and Treatment Options: An In Vitro Study of siRNA- and Aptamer-Based Therapeutics

“…Aptamers are analogous to antibodies in their function, as they fold into secondary structures that are capable of target-specific binding [ 35 ]. However, aptamers have a multitude of advantages over their antibody analogues, including their low immunogenicity, and their chemical selection and synthesis processes [ 40 , 41 ] and have demonstrated great potential in the treatment of cancers and viral infections [ 42 , 43 , 44 , 45 , 46 ]. Many aptamers are commercially available, and more are currently in various stages of clinical trials [ 40 ].…”

In Silico Selection of Gp120 ssDNA Aptamer to HIV-1

“…Moreover, the possibility of in vitro synthesis offers remarkable flexibility in the design and modification of aptamers. 3 Aptamers that target HIV type 1 (HIV-1) reverse transcriptase, RNaseH, Tat, Gag, integrase, nucleocapsid, and gp120 are some of the most studied examples. HIV-1 surface glycoprotein gp120 interacts with the human surface receptor CD4 and induces receptor conformational changes leading to HIV-1 entry into the host cell.…”

“…Because of its importance in the viral infection process, several gp120 RNA aptamers have been selected to block gp120 and the CD4 interaction. 3,4 Aptamer B40 and its truncated derivative B40t77 were reported have high specificity to the HIV-1 R5 strain and neutralization in peripheral blood cells. 5 In addition, another shorter B40 derivative, UCLA1, is able to inhibit HIV-1 entry at the nanomolar range.…”