Nucleic Acid Aptamers for Molecular Therapy of Epilepsy and Blood-Brain Barrier Damages

Abstract

Epilepsy is the fourth most prevalent brain disorder affecting millions of people of all ages. Epilepsy is divided into six categories different in etiology and molecular mechanisms; however, their common denominator is the inability to maintain ionic homeostasis. Antiepileptic drugs have a broad spectrum of action and high toxicity to the whole organism. In many cases, they could not penetrate the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and reach corresponding targets. Nucleic acid aptamers are a new and promising class of antiepileptic drugs as they are non-toxic, specific, and able to regulate the permeability of ion channels or inhibit inflammatory proteins. In this review, we summarize the mechanisms of epileptogenesis and its interconnection with the BBB and show the potential of aptamers for antiepileptic treatment.

Power and Promise of Next-Generation Sequencing in Liquid Biopsies and Cancer Control

“…48 Excluding IHC, the other 3 are gene detection techniques; among them, NGS has become the core technology of precise targeted therapy and immunotherapy for cancer. 49 -52…”

“…48 Excluding IHC, the other 3 are gene detection techniques; among them, NGS has become the core technology of precise targeted therapy and immunotherapy for cancer. [49][50][51][52] The NGS mutation profiles obtained from different tumors have led to the emergence of targeted therapies for tumors, which include identifying mutations in signaling pathways and blocking them with existing or newly developed drugs. [53][54][55][56] The detected mutations are classified as driver mutations if they are critical to the maintenance of tumors and passenger mutations if they have no definite role in the maintenance of tumors.…”

Liquid Biopsies in Epilepsy: Biomarkers for Etiology, Diagnosis, Prognosis, and Therapeutics

“…Outside of improving diagnostics, miRNAs have also been used to track the efficacy of treatment, specifically in identifying those who will likely be responsive or resistant to treatment. Epilepsy resolution has specific criteria: an individual must be older than the range for age-dependent epilepsies, have had no seizure activity for at least 10 years, and have gone without seizure medication for the last 5 years [1]. The majority of individuals meeting these criteria fall within the beginning stages of their adult years at the earliest.…”

“…Epilepsy is in the top 5 most prevalent brain disorders alongside multiple sclerosis, stroke, Parkinson's disease, and Alzheimer's disease [1]. Furthermore, the condition is estimated to affect 50 million individuals worldwide, making it the most widespread chronic disorder of the central nervous system [2].…”

“…Similar to diseases like cancer, epilepsy is a conglomeration of disorders and syndromes of heterogeneous etiology. Over half of all epilepsies have identifiable genetic origins; however, perturbations in brain structure, metabolic processes, and immune function can also contribute to onset [1,[3][4][5][6]. Regardless of etiology, epilepsy diagnostic criteria include the occurrence of more than one unprovoked seizure, often confirmed using electrophysiological or imaging tests, that is expected to recur in the absence of pharmacological or surgical intervention [7,8].…”