Advances in Aptamers-Based Applications in Breast Cancer: Drug Delivery, Therapeutics, and Diagnostics

Abstract

Aptamers are synthetic single-stranded oligonucleotides (such as RNA and DNA) evolved in vitro using Systematic Evolution of Ligands through Exponential enrichment (SELEX) techniques. Aptamers are evolved to have high affinity and specificity to targets; hence, they have a great potential for use in therapeutics as delivery agents and/or in treatment strategies. Aptamers can be chemically synthesized and modified in a cost-effective manner and are easy to hybridize to a variety of nano-particles and other agents which has paved a way for targeted therapy and diagnostics applications such as in breast tumors. In this review, we systematically explain different aptamer adoption approaches to therapeutic or diagnostic uses when addressing breast tumors. We summarize the current therapeutic techniques to address breast tumors including aptamer-base approaches. We discuss the next aptamer-based therapeutic and diagnostic approaches targeting breast tumors. Finally, we provide a perspective on the future of aptamer-based sensors for breast therapeutics and diagnostics. In this section, the therapeutic applications of aptamers will be discussed for the targeting therapy of breast cancer.

Selection of internalizing RNA aptamers into human breast cancer cells derived from primary sites

“…3 The exploration of aptamers for breast cancer cell detection is an exciting and evolving field of research. While advancements have been made in targeting metastatic breast cancer cells, [7][8][9] there is a pressing need to expand this research to encompass primary tumor sites. Aptamers have the potential to redefine breast cancer diagnostics, offering improvements in sensitivity and specificity that could significantly impact patient outcomes.…”

“…As mentioned previously, a significant part of our knowledge of breast cancer is based on studies carried out with cell lines obtained from metastatic sites. 7,8 These cell lines were also used in publications that performed Cell-SELEX and Cell-Internalization SELEX to select specific aptamers for different breast cancer cell subtypes: MCF-7, [27][28][29][30] MDA-MB-231, [31][32][33] TUBO, 29 and SK-BR-3 cells. 34 Another group developed a novel aptamer-based histochemistry assay to identify different breast cancer subtypes using cell lines MCF-7, SK-BR-3, MDA-MB-231 MCF-10A, and MF3Ec.…”

“…7 Most studies have concentrated on the detection of metastatic breast cancer cells, highlighting the potential for aptamers as diagnostic tools in the advanced stages of the disease. 7,8 Other classes of aptamers can also address therapeutic agents in the intracellular compartment, concentrating them around and inside specific cells or tissues and reducing their adverse effects. 9,10 While aptamers have shown promise in detecting breast cancer cells, it is noteworthy that a significant gap exists in the literature concerning the generation of aptamers specifically designed for cells derived from tumors from primary sites.…”

“…In particular, recent research has focused on developing aptamers tailored for detecting breast cancer cells 7 . Most studies have concentrated on the detection of metastatic breast cancer cells, highlighting the potential for aptamers as diagnostic tools in the advanced stages of the disease 7,8 . Other classes of aptamers can also address therapeutic agents in the intracellular compartment, concentrating them around and inside specific cells or tissues and reducing their adverse effects 9,10 …”

Novel targeted pH-responsive drug delivery systems based on PEGMA-modified bimetallic Prussian blue analogs for breast cancer chemotherapy

“… 73 In addition, in vivo injection of AS1411–AuNSs significantly inhibited the growth of xenograft tumors in mice without any toxic side effects. 74 Taken together, AS1411–AuNSs are suitable therapeutic candidates for clinical application in the treatment of cancer in the breast. In this study, AS1411 was immobilized in the novel PBA-DDS improving its BC targeting ability and specific uptake by BC in vitro and in vivo ( Fig.…”