Abstract

Aptamers are a new class of molecules which originated in the 1990s. They are usually RNA or DNA oligonucleotides, the length of which ranges between 20 and 80 nt. They are produced using the SELEX method that allows one to obtain aptamers that bind to virtually any molecule of interest, providing a high specificity. Aptamers are an alternative to antibodies because on the one hand, their sensitivity is at a similar or sometimes even higher level, while on the other hand they do not show immunogenicity, and may be synthesized in vitro. To date, a broad range of different applications of aptamers has been described: as components of biosensors, or use in various laboratory techniques, such as microarrays or chromatography. One of the most important is the use of aptamers in medicine, especially in the fight against cancer. They can be used both for diagnosis and for the eradication of cancers – particularly through the delivery of drugs. Currently, most transport-related research is devoted to the delivery of chemotherapeutic drugs, such as doxorubicin. This was used in research on liver cancer cells, prostate, and acute lymphoblastic leukemia blast cells. Another possibility is to use aptamers to deliver siRNAs. In this way inhibition of the quality control process of the mRNA in tumor cells is possible. An aptamer complex with the drug allows for direct delivery of the active substance in a particular cell type, substantially eliminating the non-specific effect of the drug.

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