title: Aptamer-mediated cancer gene therapy.
abstract: Cancer as a genetic disorder is one of the leading causes of death worldwide. Conventional anticancer options such as chemo- and/or radio-therapy have their own drawbacks and could not provide a cure in most cases at present. More effective therapeutic strategies with less side effects are urgently needed. Aptamers, also known as chemical antibodies, are single strand DNA or RNA molecules that can bind to their target molecules with high affinity and specificity. Such site-specific binding ability of aptamers facilitates the delivery and interaction of exogenous nucleic acids with diseased genes. Thus, aptamer-guided gene therapy has emerged as a promising anticancer strategy in addition to the classic treatment regimen. Aptamers can directly deliver anti-cancer nucleic acids, e.g. small interfering RNA, micro RNA, antimicroRNA and small hairpin RNA, to cancer cells or function as a targeting ligand to guide nanoparticles containing therapeutic nucleic acids. This review focuses on recent progress in aptamer-mediated gene therapy for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma and other types of cancers, shedding light on the potential of this novel approach of targeted cancer gene therapy.
authors.forename: Dongxi
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Xiang
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shigdar
authors.forename: Greg
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Qiao
authors.forename: Shu-Feng
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Yong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Ming Q
authors.initials: MQ
authors.lastname: Wei
authors.forename: Liang
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Qiao
authors.forename: Hadi Al
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Shamaileh
authors.forename: Yimin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Conglong
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.forename: Chunwen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pu
authors.affiliation: Dalian 6th People's Hospital, 269 Guibai Road, Dalian, Liaoning, The People's Republic of China, 116031. wduan@deakin.edu.au.
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Duan
mesh_terms: D052157:Aptamers, Nucleotide / Q000235:genetics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004277:DNA, Single-Stranded / Q000235:genetics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018014:Gene Transfer Techniques; D015316:Genetic Therapy; D006801:Humans; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000627:therapeutic use; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000628:therapy*
chemical_list: D052157:Aptamers, Nucleotide; D004277:DNA, Single-Stranded; D035683:MicroRNAs