In Vivo Selection Against Human Colorectal Cancer Xenografts Identifies an Aptamer That Targets RNA Helicase Protein DHX9.
The ability to selectively target disease-related tissues with molecules is critical to the design of effective therapeutic and diagnostic reagents. Recognizing the differences between the in vivo environment and in vitro conditions, we employed an in vivo selection strategy to identify RNA aptamers (targeting motifs) that could localize to tumor in situ. One of the selected molecules is an aptamer that binds to the protein DHX9, an RNA helicase that is known to be upregulated in colorectal cancer. Upon systemic administration, the aptamer preferentially localized to the nucleus of cancer cells in vivo and thus has the potential to be used for targeted delivery.
Department of Surgery, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, USA.
Jing
J
Mi
Department of Surgery, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, USA.
Partha
P
Ray
Department of Surgery, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, USA.
Jenny
J
Liu
Department of Pathology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, USA.
Chien-Tsun
CT
Kuan
Department of Surgery, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, USA.
Jennifer
J
Xu
Department of Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, USA.
David
D
Hsu
Department of Surgery, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, USA.
Bruce A
BA
Sullenger
Department of Surgery, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, USA.
Rebekah R
RR
White
Department of Surgery, University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA.
Bryan M
BM
Clary