Unite and Conquer: Association of Two G-Quadruplex Aptamers Provides Antiproliferative and Antimigration Activity for Cells from High-Grade Glioma Patients

Abstract

Background: High-grade gliomas remain a virtually incurable form of brain cancer. Current therapies are unable to completely eradicate the tumor, and the tumor cells that survive chemotherapy or radiation therapy often become more aggressive and resistant to further treatment, leading to inevitable relapses. While the antiproliferative effects of new therapeutic molecules are typically the primary focus of research, less attention is given to their influence on tumor cell migratory activity, which can play a significant role in recurrence. A potential solution may lie in the synergistic effects of multiple drugs on the tumor. Objectives: In this study, we investigated the effect of combined exposure to bi-(AID-1-T), an anti-proliferative aptamer, and its analog bi-(AID-1-C), on the migratory activity of human GBM cells. Results: We examined the effects of various sequences of adding bi-(AID-1-T) and bi-(AID-1-C) on five human GBM cell cultures. Our findings indicate that certain sequences significantly reduced the ability of tumor cells to migrate and proliferate. Additionally, the expression of Nestin, PARP1, L1CAM, Caveolin-1, and c-Myc was downregulated in human GBM cells that survived exposure, suggesting that the treatment had a persistent antitumor effect on these cells.