RNA适体研究及其在医药上的应用

核酸适体（nucleic acid aptamer）是从人工合成的随机单链核酸库中筛选出的特异性与靶物质高度亲和的核酸分子,包括DNA适体和RNA适体. 体外获得核酸适体的方法称为指数富集配体系统进化技术,即SELEX（systematic evolution of ligands by exponential enrichment）. 在SELEX技术获得的核酸适体中,RNA适体因其结构的多样性而具有靶分子广、亲和力高、特异性强等特点. 同时,相比传统抗体,RNA适体分子量小、易改造修饰、制备方便且无免疫原性. 因此,RNA适体在基础研究、临床诊断、药物研制等方面展现了广阔的应用前景. 本文综述了RNA适体的产生、特点、作用方式、优势与局限性,并详细介绍了其在医药研究领域的应用.     

抗体Fc片段特异寡核苷酸配基介导的实时定量免疫PCR

目的:利用小鼠IgG抗体Fc片段高特异、高亲和寡核苷酸配基,构建实时定量免疫PCR检测方法,提高抗体检测的灵敏度。方法:用SELEX技术从随机寡核苷酸文库中筛选抗体Fc片段特异寡核苷酸配基,设计合成信标序列,通过不对称PCR法,制备IgG Fc片段的核酸信标配基分子;32P标记核酸信标配基,采用琼脂糖凝胶阻滞双显色法鉴定核酸信标配基与IgG Fc片段结合的亲和力和特异性;制备IgG Fc特异性寡核苷酸信标配基-抗体复合检测分子,构建小鼠IgG Fc片段特异核酸信标配基介导的实时定量免疫PCR检测方法。结果:制备了IgG Fc片段的核酸信标配基分子;凝胶阻滞放射自显影和考马斯亮蓝二次染色结果显示该核酸信标配基分子与IgG Fc片段具有高度亲和力和活性,而且只与非变性IgG结合,与变性IgG不结合;IgG Fc片段的特异核酸信标配基与IgG结合形成复合检测分子,有效完成了信号传递和实时定量PCR信号放大过程。结论:初步建立了一种全新的核酸信标配基介导的免疫PCR检测方法,可有效提高现有IgG类抗体免疫检测的灵敏度和特异性。     

金黄色葡萄球菌外毒素B特异性适体的筛选及其应用

目的:利用指数富集配基的系统进化(SELEX)技术,筛选能与金黄色葡萄球菌外毒素B(SEB)特异、高亲和力结合的单链DNA(ssDNA)适体,并将该适体应用于患者血清标本的检测。方法:从体外合成的96核苷酸随机ss-DNA文库中,以羧基磁珠作为筛选介质,经逐步PCR扩增、筛选,获得针对SEB的高亲和力、高特异性适体;利用荧光素标记适体测定筛选过程中各轮结合力;利用酶连接适体方法检测适体特异性和结合力。结果:经过13轮筛选,ssDNA文库与SEB的结合百分率从1.1%提高到39.8%,增加了36倍;获得的ssDNA适体(A11)针对SEB的特异性强,与金黄色葡萄球菌表面蛋白A(SPA)结合低,并能初步识别患者血清。结论:利用SELEX技术筛选获得了特异结合SEB的高亲和力的ssDNA适体,为金黄色葡萄球菌的临床诊断与治疗奠定了基础。     

基于Cell-SELEX的核酸适体在肿瘤中的应用研究进展

核酸适体是运用指数富集的配体系统进化(systematic evolution of ligand and byexponential enrichment,SELEX)技术从人工体外合成的随机寡核苷酸序列库中,经过多轮筛选后得到的单链DNA或RNA,具有识别靶标范围广、亲和力高和稳定性好等优势。Cell-SELEX技术是指将整个细胞作为靶标筛选特异性核酸适体的技术,近年来已经广泛应用于肿瘤细胞特异的核酸适体筛选。本研究综述了Cell-SELEX技术的筛选过程以及通过cell-SELEX技术产生的核酸适体在肿瘤标志物、肿瘤靶向治疗和循环肿瘤细胞的识别与检测等方面的应用研究进展。     

SELEX技术与适体

SELEX技术是从随机寡核苷酸评议库中筛选与靶分子特异结合序列的组合化学技术。随机寡核苷酸的多种空间结构是筛选基础。该技术对靶分子无特殊要求,筛选出的寡核苷酸被称为适体,适体最突出的特征是与靶分子的特异性高亲和力。     

用SELEX技术筛选环孢霉素A适体

目的：运用指数富集的配体系统进化（SELEX）技术筛选并鉴定环孢霉素A（CsA）特异性适体。方法：合成全长78个核苷酸中间含35个随机序列的随机单链DNA（ssDNA）文库,通过SELEX方法,以CsA为靶标、磁珠为筛选介质,利用生物素-链亲和素-辣根过氧化物酶系统检测每轮ssDNA文库与CsA的亲和力,筛选针对CsA的适体,将最后一轮筛选产物克隆测序,并运用相关软件进行一级结构和二级结构分析。结果：经过10轮筛选,ssDNA文库与CsA的亲和力呈上升趋势,随机挑选的19个克隆适体根据一级结构的同源性可分为5个家族,二级结构预测以茎环（发夹）为主。结论：通过改良SELEX方法筛选得到了CsA特异性的适体。     

核酸适体的研究进展

近年的研究表明,DNA和RNA不仅起遗传信息储存和传递的作用,还可以藉自身形成的空间结构与其它类型的分子相互作用,以此为基础建立随机寡核苷酸文库,施加选择压力(结合靶目标),淘选与靶目标高度特异结合片段的过程,被称为指数富集的配体系统进化(Systematic evolution of ligand by exponential enrichment,SELEX)技术。筛选出的分子被称为核酸适体(aptamer)。Aptamer源于拉定语     

SELEX技术在病毒感染诊断和治疗中的应用

指数富集的配体系统进化（SELEX）技术是一种新的组合化学技术,它利用人工合成的随机寡核苷酸文库,通过体外多轮筛选与扩增,获得能与靶物质特异性结合的寡核苷酸适体。适体的靶分子广泛,包括病毒代谢相关产物,且与靶物质结合的亲和力高、特异性强,在体内代谢及稳定性等方面优于抗体。在细胞和动物模型中,适体显示出很多优于抗体的特性,而且已经有适体作为药物进入临床试验阶段。这种体外筛选技术是一种较成熟的技术,由此产生的适体具有较好的理化特征,可以抑制病毒复制感染的各个阶段,而且在病毒感染所引发的相关疾病诊断和治疗等方面具有较好的应用前景。     

核酸适配体的体外筛选方法的最新研究进展

核酸适配体是用配体指数富集系统进化技术(SELEX)在体外筛选得到的一小段寡核苷酸序列,能够选择性的与不同的靶标特异性的结合,包括蛋白质、小分子、有机物、金属离子、药物等,具有高亲和力和高特异性。这项技术的诸多优势,使其迅速得到重视,核酸适配体在生物传感器、基因芯片、新药开发、纳米技术等诸多方面应用广泛。但是传统的SELEX方法操作繁琐,筛选周期长,需要几个月的时间才能筛选出与靶标具有高特异性的核酸适配体。随着SELEX的快速发展,近年来出现了很多新型的筛选方法,这些新的方法大大提高了筛选周期,极大的提高了筛选效率,拓展了核酸适配体的应用。总结介绍了近三年来出现的几种新型的核酸适配体的筛选方法,包括氧化石墨烯SELEX(Multiple GO-SELEX)、单壁碳纳米管辅助细胞SELEX(SWCNTs-assisted cell-SELEX)、基于芯片的细胞SELEX(on-chip Cell-SELEX)、序列构造SELEX(Sequence-constructive SELEX)、高保真SELEX(High-Fidelity SELEX),有助于人们进一步了解、认识核酸适配体筛选技术的发展现状,更好促进核酸适体在各个领域中的应用前景。     

SELEX筛选中不同筛选介质的富集效果比较

目的:比较SELEX筛选中不同筛选介质的富集效果,为高通量筛选奠定基础.方法:以乙肝表面抗原(HBsAg)为靶蛋白,采用两种不同的筛选介质:硝酸纤维素膜和环氧树脂,分别将HBsAg包被其上,利用SELEX技术从随机单链DNA文库中筛选得到富集的亲和配基库,最后通过聚丙烯酰胺凝胶电泳和实时荧光定量PCR检测各自的富集效果.结果:经过16轮筛选,发现实时荧光定量PCR时,硝酸纤维素膜空白管与阳性管的循环阈值均在14循环,无明显区别；而环氧树脂空白管与阳性管的循环阈值区别明显,前者是25循环,后者是18循环.结论:在SELEX筛选中,以环氧树脂为筛选介质更易富集到与靶蛋白特异性结合的核酸适配体.     

肝脏去唾液酸糖蛋白受体特异性RNA适配子的SELEX筛选与鉴定

目的获得能够特异性高亲和力结合肝脏特异性去唾液酸糖蛋白受体（asialoglycoprotein receptor,ASGPR）的RNA适配子,为开发诊断和治疗肝脏疾病的靶向性试剂和药物奠定基础。方法合成一个长度为115nt含有25个随机序列的单链DNA随机文库,通过体外转录构建出单链RNA适配子随机文库,以肝脏ASGPR大亚基为靶蛋白,采用SELEX（systematic evolution of ligands by exponential enrichment）技术筛选具有高亲和力的AsGPR特异性RNA适配子;通过膜结合测定实验、凝胶阻滞实验鉴定筛选适配子对靶蛋白的特异性和亲和力。结果经过12轮筛选获得了具有高亲和力的肝脏ASGPR特异性RNA适配子。结论成功地筛选出了具有离亲和力的肝脏ASGPR特异性RNA适配子库。     

Structural optimization of an aptamer generated from Ligand-Guided Selection (LIGS) resulted in high affinity variant toward mIgM expressed on Burkitt's lymphoma cell lines

Aptamers are synthetic, short nucleic acid molecules capable of specific target recognition. Aptamers are selected using a screening method termed Systematic Evolution of Ligands by Exponential enrichment (SELEX). We recently have introduced a variant of SELEX called “Ligand-Guided-Selection” (LIGS) that allows the identification of specific aptamers against known cell-surface proteins. Utilizing LIGS, we introduced three specific aptamers against membrane-bound IgM (mIgM), which is the hallmark of B cells. Out of the three aptamers selected against mIgM, an aptamer termed R1, in particular, was found to be interesting due to its ability to recognize mIgM on target cells and then block anti-IgM antibodies binding their antigen. We systematically truncated parent aptamer R1 to design shorter variants with enhanced affinity. Importantly, herein we show that the specificity of the most optimized variant of R1 aptamer is similar to that of anti-IgM antibody, indicating that the specificity of the ligand utilized in selective elution of the aptamer determines the specificity of the LIGS-generated aptamer. Furthermore, we report that truncated variants of R1 are able to recognize mIgM-positive human B lymphoma BJAB cells at physiological temperature, demonstrating that LIGS-generated aptamers could be re-optimized into higher affinity variants. Collectively, these findings show the significance of LIGS in generating highly specific aptamers with potential applications in biomedicine.     

Advances in SELEX and application of aptamers in the central nervous system

SELEX (Systematic Evolution of Ligands by Exponential Enrichment) is a screening technique that involves the progressive selection of highly specific ligands by repeated rounds of partition and amplification from a large combinatorial nucleic acid library. The products of the selection are called aptamers, which are short single stranded DNA or RNA molecules, binding with high affinity, attributed to their specific three-dimensional shapes, to a large variety of targets, ranging from small molecules to complex mixtures. Various improvement of the original SELEX method described in 1990 have been obtained recently, such as capillary electrophoresis SELEX, Toggle-SELEX, Tailored-SELEX, Photo-SELEX, and others. These new variants greatly shorten time of selection and improve aptamer affinity and specificity. Such aptamers have great potential as detecting and/or diagnostic reagents. Furthermore, some aptamers specifically inhibit biological functions of targeted proteins, and are considered as potent therapeutic lead structures evaluated in preclinical disease models. Recently, one aptamer has been approved by Food and Drug Administration of US for treating age-related macular degeneration. This review presents recent advances in the field of SELEX with special emphasis on applications of aptamers as analytical, diagnostic and therapeutic tools in the central nervous system.     

Localized Surface Plasmon Resonance (LSPR)-Based Nanobiosensor for Methamphetamin Measurement

Aptamers are DNA or RNA single-stranded molecules that bind specifically to target molecules with high affinity. Function of nucleic acid aptamers is based on organized tertiary structure of them that is related to primary sequence, length of nucleic acid molecule, and environmental conditions. Herein, a localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) nanobioprobe has been developed based on specific aptamer-conjugated gold nanoparticles for rapid detection of methamphetamine. Detection of methamphetamine was studied via monitoring the gold nanoparticles (GNPs) LSPR band alterations in the presence of different concentrations. The covalent conjugation has been confirmed with FT-IR spectroscopy, and size alterations of gold nanoparticles before and after the conjugation state were monitored using dynamic light scattering (DLS) technique. The results show high affinity of aptamer to methamphetamine. Moreover, the results show conjugated aptamer with GNP in different concentrations of methamphetamine that contribute to color changes that is visible with unaided eye. Also, 14 nm LSPR shift was seen after conjugation of aptamer with GNP. Nanoparticle diameter after conjugation with aptamer was increased from 30 to 91 nm and decreased after incubation with methamphetamine (due to folding) from 91 to 84 nm. Detection limit of this designed nanoprobe is 500 nM. Plasmonic nanoparticle-based nanobioprobe is a new field for development of sensitive detection systems.

     

Deconvolution of a complex target using DNA aptamers

In vitro selection of single-stranded nucleic acid aptamers from large random sequence libraries is now a straightforward process particularly when screening with a single target molecule. These libraries contain considerable shape diversity as evident by the successful isolation of aptamers that bind with high affinity and specificity to chemically diverse targets. We propose that aptamer libraries contain sufficient shape diversity to allow deconvolution of a complex mixture of targets. Using unfractionated human plasma as our experimental model, we aim to develop methods to obtain aptamers against as many proteins as possible. To begin, it is critical that we understand how aptamer populations change with increasing rounds of in vitro selection when using complex mixtures. Our results show that sequence representation in the selected population changes dramatically with increasing rounds of selection. Certain aptamer families were apparent after only three selection rounds. Two additional cycles saw a decline in the relative abundance of these families and the emergence of yet another family that accounted for more than 60% of sequences in the pool. To overcome this population convergence, an aptamer-based target depletion method was developed, and the library screen was repeated. The previous dominant family effectively disappeared from the selected populations but was replaced by other aptamer families. Insights gained from these initial experiments are now being applied in the creation of second generation plasma protein screens and also to the analysis of other complex biological targets.     

Screening and Characterization of a Novel RNA Aptamer That Specifically Binds to Human Prostatic Acid Phosphatase and Human Prostate Cancer Cells

Prostatic acid phosphatase (PAP) expression increases proportionally with prostate cancer progression, making it useful in prognosticating intermediate to high-risk prostate cancers. A novel ligand that can specifically bind to PAP would be very helpful for guiding prostate cancer therapy. RNA aptamers bind to target molecules with high specificity and have key advantages such as low immunogenicity and easy synthesis. Here, human PAP-specific aptamers were screened from a 2′-fluoropyrimidine (FY)-modified RNA library by SELEX. The candidate aptamer families were identified within six rounds followed by analysis of their sequences and PAP-specific binding. A gel shift assay was used to identify PAP binding aptamers and the 6N aptamer specifically bound to PAP with a Kd value of 118 nM. RT-PCR and fluorescence labeling analyses revealed that the 6N aptamer bound to PAP-positive mammalian cells, such as PC-3 and LNCaP. IMR-90 negative control cells did not bind the 6N aptamer. Systematic minimization analyses revealed that 50 nucleotide sequences and their two hairpin structures in the 6N 2′-FY RNA aptamer were equally important for PAP binding. Renewed interest in PAP combined with the versatility of RNA aptamers, including conjugation of anti-cancer drugs and nano-imaging probes, could open up a new route for early theragnosis of prostate cancer.     

Selection of DNA aptamers using atomic force microscopy

Atomic force microscopy (AFM) can detect the adhesion or affinity force between a sample surface and cantilever, dynamically. This feature is useful as a method for the selection of aptamers that bind to their targets with very high affinity. Therefore, we propose the Systematic Evolution of Ligands by an EXponential enrichment (SELEX) method using AFM to obtain aptamers that have a strong affinity for target molecules. In this study, thrombin was chosen as the target molecule, and an ‘AFM-SELEX’ cycle was performed. As a result, selected cycles were completed with only three rounds, and many of the obtained aptamers had a higher affinity to thrombin than the conventional thrombin aptamer. Moreover, one type of obtained aptamer had a high affinity to thrombin as well as the anti-thrombin antibody. AFM-SELEX is, therefore, considered to be an available method for the selection of DNA aptamers that have a high affinity for their target molecules.     

综述与专论: 核酸适配体筛选与亲和力评价技术主要研究方向、进展与挑战

核酸适配体是一类具有特异性分子识别能力的单链DNA或者RNA分子,通过指数富集的配体系统进化技术（SELEX）筛选得到。核酸适配体相比抗体具有热稳定性高、便于化学合成与修饰、免疫原性低等优点,在生物分析、生物医学、生物技术等众多领域引起广泛关注。高质量的核酸适配体是应用的基础,然而目前能够满足实际应用的核酸适配体数量还非常有限。如何获得高亲和力、高特异性、高体内稳定性的核酸适配体是核酸适配体领域的技术瓶颈。本文首先简单介绍了SELEX技术的基本原理和核酸库的设计、筛选过程监控、次级文库制备、测序和候选适配体筛选等关键步骤。接着归纳总结了30多年来核酸适配体筛选技术的6个主要研究方向、研究进展和局限性。这6个主要研究方向分别是提高适配体特异性的筛选方法、提高适配体稳定性（抗核酸酶降解能力）的筛选方法、快速筛选方法、复杂靶标适配体筛选方法、小分子靶标适配体筛选方法、提高适配体亲和力的筛选方法。其中快速筛选技术是长期以来持续关注的研究方向,几乎所有物理分离手段都已用于提高SELEX的筛选效率。最近,高效化学反应与SELEX技术的结合为核酸适配体的快速筛选提供了新的策略。本文随后对适合小分子靶标核酸适配体筛选的3类方法进展和存在的问题进行了重点评述。这3类方法分别是基于靶标固定的筛选技术、基于文库固定的筛选技术（捕获-SELEX,Capture-SELEX）和均相筛选技术（氧化石墨烯-SELEX,GO-SELEX）。基于靶标固定的筛选技术尽管存在空间位阻等众多问题,由于其操作的简单性,目前依然应用广泛。近年来Capture-SELEX应用广泛。结合36种靶标适配体的筛选实验条件（文库设计、正筛靶标浓度、负筛靶标的选择和浓度）和所获得的适配体的亲和力（K_D,解离常数,dissociation constant）和特异性,对Capture-SELEX的实验条件与适配体性能的关系进行了讨论。统计数据表明,降低正筛靶标浓度有利于提高适配体的亲和力,但不是必要条件。负筛选是目前提高适配体特异性的主要技术手段,但适配体的特异性还不能满足实际需求。负筛选靶标及其浓度的选择差异很大,而且36种靶标中有20种靶标的适配体筛选没有进行负筛选。如何提高核酸适配体的特异性是目前小分子靶标核酸适配体所面临的难题,急需寻找新的策略。本文还列表归纳了近三年利用GO-SELEX进行的13种小分子靶标的实验条件和所获得的适配体的K_D和特异性。统计数据表明,GO-SELEX比Capture-SELEX所需要的筛选轮数少,两种方法所获得的适配体的亲和力多在纳摩尔每升水平。Capture-SELEX相对较低的筛选效率应该主要由于文库的自解离问题。核酸适配体的亲和力评价是候选核酸适配体结构与性能评价的重要组成部分。常用的核酸适配体亲和力评价技术包括基于分离、基于固定、均相体系三大类十多种方法。假阳性和假阴性是各种评价技术都有可能存在的问题。本文以纳米金比色法和等温热滴定技术为例评述技术进展,讨论导致不同亲和力评价技术结果不一致性问题的根本原因。本文最后对核酸适配体筛选技术、亲和力评价技术和技术的标准化的未来发展趋势进行了展望。     

Crystal structure of an RNA aptamer bound to thrombin

Aptamers, an emerging class of therapeutics, are DNA or RNA molecules that are selected to bind molecular targets that range from small organic compounds to large proteins. All of the determined structures of aptamers in complex with small molecule targets show that aptamers cage such ligands. In structures of aptamers in complex with proteins that naturally bind nucleic acid, the aptamers occupy the nucleic acid binding site and often mimic the natural interactions. Here we present a crystal structure of an RNA aptamer bound to human thrombin, a protein that does not naturally bind nucleic acid, at 1.9 A resolution. The aptamer, which adheres to thrombin at the binding site for heparin, presents an extended molecular surface that is complementary to the protein. Protein recognition involves the stacking of single-stranded adenine bases at the core of the tertiary fold with arginine side chains. These results exemplify how RNA aptamers can fold into intricate conformations that allow them to interact closely with extended surfaces on non-RNA binding proteins.     

RNA Aptamers Inhibit the Growth of the Fish Pathogen Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia Virus (VHSV)

Viral hemorrhagic septicemia virus (VHSV) is a serious disease impacting wild and cultured fish worldwide. Hence, an effective therapeutic method against VHSV infection needs to be developed. Aptamer technology is a new and promising method for diagnostics and therapeutics. It revolves around the use of an aptamer molecule, an artificial ligand (nucleic acid or protein), which has the capacity to recognize target molecules with high affinity and specificity. Here, we aimed at selecting RNA aptamers that can specifically bind to and inhibit the growth of a strain of fish VHSV both in vitro and in vivo. Three VHSV-specific RNA aptamers (F1, F2, and C6) were selected from a pool of artificially and randomly produced oligonucleotides using systematic evolution of ligands by exponential enrichment. The three RNA aptamers showed obvious binding to VHSV in an electrophoretic mobility shift assay but not to other tested viruses. The RNA aptamers were tested for their ability to inhibit VHSV in vitro using hirame natural embryo (HINAE) cells. Cytopathic effect and plaque assays showed that all aptamers inhibited the growth of VHSV in HINAE cells. In vivo tests using RNA aptamers produced by Rhodovulum sulfidophilum showed that extracellular RNA aptamers inhibited VHSV infection in Japanese flounder. These results suggest that the RNA aptamers are a useful tool for protection against VHSV infection in Japanese flounder.