应用核酸适配子检测细胞因子的新方法-ELONA法

以人肿瘤坏死因子 (Humantumornecrosisfactor,hTNF α)特异性的核酸适配子为检测分子建立了酶联寡聚核苷酸吸附试验 (Enzyme linkedOligonucleotideassay ,ELONA)方法 ,用于hTNF α的检测。通过SELEX(SystematicEvolutionofLigandsbyExponentialEnrichment)方法从随机RNA库中筛选到与hTNF-α特异结合的RNA适配子。根据其序列 ,用体外转录方法合成生物素标记的RNA适配子 ,并对其进行了氨基修饰以增加其稳定性。以hTNF-α的单克隆抗体为捕获分子 ,生物素标记的hTNF-α特异性RNA适配子为检测分子建立了ELONA方法 ,并对这种检测方法的灵敏度、精密度和准确度等进行了分析。同时用ELONA和ELISA方法检测了正常人血清中的hTNF-α水平 ,并对检测结果进行比较。结果显示 ,ELONA方法的灵敏度为 100pg/mL ,具有较好的精密度和准确度。ELONA法的检测结果与ELISA法检测结果基本一致。该方法适用于血清、细胞培养上清等多种生物标本中各种细胞因子及其它蛋白的检测。     

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。     

应用核酸适配子检测细胞因子的新方法—ELONA法

以人肿瘤坏死因子(Human tumor necrosis factor,hTNF—α)特异性的核酸适配子为检测分子建立了酶联寡聚核苷酸吸附试验(Enzyme—linked Oligonucleotide assay,ELONA)方法,用于hTNF—α的检测。通过SELEX(Systematic Evolution of Ligands by Exponential Enrichment)方法从随机RNA库中筛选到与hTNF—α特异结合的RNA适配子。根据其序列,用体外转录方法合成生物素标记的RNA适配子,并对其进行了氨基修饰以增加其稳定性。以hTNF—α的单克隆抗体为捕获分子,生物素标记的hTNF—α特异性RNA适配子为检测分子建立了ELONA方法,并对这种检测方法的灵敏度、精密度和准确度等进行了分析。同时用ELONA和ELISA方法检测了正常人血清中的hTNF—α水平,并对检测结果进行比较。结果显示,ELONA方法的灵敏度为100pg／mL,具有较好的精密度和准确度。ELONA法的检测结果与ELISA法检测结果基本一致。该方法适用于血清、细胞培养上清等多种生物标本中各种细胞因子及其它蛋白的检测。     

SELEX技术及近年研究进展

指数富集配体系统进化技术(Systematic evolution of ligand by exponential enrichment,SELEX)是近20年来出现的一种新型体外筛选技术。该技术将文库技术与筛选技术相结合,从核酸文库中筛选出的一段核酸分子:配基-适配子(aptamer);适配子与抗体类似,可以与相应靶物质特异性结合。SELEX技术筛选适配子的技术有快速的进步,而适配子也被应用到医学生物学等各个方面。在HIV等病毒学研究与治疗方面,SELEX的应用也有了可观的进展,多种病毒的相关适配子被筛选出来,为病毒相关疾病的防治提供了新的方向。本文主要就近三年来的SELEX技术发展状况及在应用上的发展进行简要综述。     

抑制肿瘤坏死因子-α的DNA适配子的筛选与鉴定

应用SELEX技术筛选能与TNF结合的DNA适配子。化学合成随机寡聚DNA库,以TNF为靶蛋白,经过12轮SELEX筛选,将所得产物克隆、测序。根据所测序列化学合成寡聚DNA适配子,用生物素_亲和素_辣根过氧化物酶显色系统检测适配子与TNF的结合活性;用鼠L929细胞检测适配子拮抗TNF活性。结果显示,所筛选到的寡聚DNA能与TNF-α高亲和力结合,并能在细胞培养中拮抗TNF-α的细胞毒活性。     

SELEX技术在神经系统疾病研究中的应用

配体指数级富集系统进化（systematic evolution of ligands by exponential enrichment,SELEX）技术是一种组合化学技术,可经过反复筛选扩增得到针对靶分子的高亲和力和高特异性的适配子.适配子通过识别、结合特定靶分子并对其进行功能调控从而达到对疾病诊断和治疗的目的 .近年来SELEX技术在神经系统功能和疾病研究中的应用越来越多.现已经筛选出针对朊蛋白、肌腱蛋白-C、β-淀粉样肽、乙酰胆碱受体的自身抗体等靶标的适配子,促进了对朊病毒病、脑肿瘤、阿茨海默病、重症肌无力等神经系统疾病的诊断和治疗研究,为这些疾病的诊治提供了新的研究工具.     

SELEX法体外筛选胃癌细胞适配子方法的建立

目的:建立SELEX技术筛选胃癌细胞SGC-7901适配子的方法,并初步鉴定获得的SGC-790 1细胞适配子.方法:体外合成全长88bp中间含52bp随机序列的ssDNA文库 ,通过优化PCR扩 增条件,利用地高辛-抗地高辛抗体-碱性磷酸酶系统测定亲和力,经SELEX反复筛选获得胃 癌SGC-7901细胞的特异性适配子.将最后一轮筛选产物克隆、测序并用相关软件分析适配子 序列的一级结构和二级结构.结果:经12轮SELEX筛选,ssDNA文库与SGC- 7901细胞的亲和力由0.16上升至1.14,表明特异性适配子得到逐步富集.22个克隆子测序, 有4个序列完全一致,二级结构预测茎环可能是适配子与胃癌细胞作用的结构基础.结论:成功建立了SELEX技术体外筛选胃癌细胞SGC-7901高亲和性适配子的方法.     

抗体-适配子混合夹心法检测炭疽芽孢杆菌芽孢的研究

通过SELEX(SystemEvolutionofLigandsbyEXponentialenrichment)体外筛选技术寻获的能与炭疽芽孢杆菌芽孢特异结合的DNA适配子(aptamer)考察其作为检测分子的能力。利用抗体-适配子混合夹心法,根据显色反应强度,评价适配子检测炭疽芽孢杆菌芽孢的能力。结果表明,适配子可以作为检测分子检测靶物质的存在。适配子检测范围在2-16μg,芽孢的检测范围在4×104-4×107,当适配子16μg,芽孢量为4×107显色的指示强度最强。说明适配子作为检测用分子,具有潜在的实用价值。     

适配体在食源性致病菌检测中的应用进展

适配体建立在仿生学基础上,是在体外从单链核酸随机序列库中筛选出的对某种靶物质具有高亲和度的寡聚核苷酸(DNA或RNA)片段。相较于食源性致病菌的常规检测手段,适配体具备特异性强、稳定性好及易于修饰等优点,因此在该领域得到了关注和应用。但前人对适配体与靶物质结合的原理认识尚不够深入,对食源性致病菌的适配体筛选及应用总结还存在许多不足。结合食源性致病菌的自身结构特点,介绍了该类物质的适配体筛选特点和检测领域中的最新研究进展,提出了目前存在的问题及发展趋势。     

哈维氏弧菌适配子的SELEX筛选及其亲和特异性研究

哈维氏弧菌是水产养殖中的重要条件致病菌,对其进行快速、准确地检测和鉴定是相关病害防治的基础和关键.适配子具有亲和力高、特异性强、稳定性好等优点,在微生物的检测和鉴定方面呈现出广泛的应用前景.本研究以哈维氏弧菌为靶目标,采用SELEX技术,即指数级富集配体的系统进化技术,筛选其特异性适配子.经15轮筛选后,随机ssDNA文库的亲和力从3.51上升到58.95,提高了15.8倍.筛选出的适配子富集库经克隆、测序后得到52条不同序列,根据同源性将这些序列分成8个家族,其中第1和第2家族的适配子数量最多,超过总数的50%.通过深入分析,筛选出6个对哈维氏弧菌有显著亲和特异性(P0.01)的高频适配子,其中5个高频适配子(S1、S25、S26、S27、S35)对哈维氏弧菌有较高的亲和力,相应的亲和常数Kd值分别为(32.6±7.1)、(45.3±10.1)、(24.7±5.8)、(34.8±5.6)、(12.9±4.0)nmol/L.本文还对高频适配子的产生机制及其应用价值进行了探讨.本文首次筛选出了对哈维氏弧菌具有较高亲和特异性的适配子,为后续利用适配子进行哈维氏弧菌的检测和鉴定奠定了基础.     

Aptamers as reagents for high-throughput screening

The identification of new drug candidates from chemical libraries is a major component of discovery research in many pharmaceutical companies. Given the large size of many conventional and combinatorial libraries and the rapid increase in the number of possible therapeutic targets, the speed with which efficient high-throughput screening (HTS) assays can be developed can be a rate-limiting step in the discovery process. We show here that aptamers, nucleic acids that bind other molecules with high affinity, can be used as versatile reagents in competition binding HTS assays to identify and optimize small-molecule ligands to protein targets. To illustrate this application, we have used labeled aptamers to platelet-derived growth factor B-chain and wheat germ agglutinin to screen two sets of potential small-molecule ligands. In both cases, binding affinities of all ligands tested (small molecules and aptamers) were strongly correlated with their inhibitory potencies in functional assays. The major advantages of using aptamers in HTS assays are speed of aptamer identification, high affinity of aptamers for protein targets, relatively large aptamer-protein interaction surfaces, and compatibility with various labeling/detection strategies. Aptamers may be particularly useful in HTS assays with protein targets that have no known binding partners such as orphan receptors. Since aptamers that bind to proteins are often specific and potent antagonists of protein function, the use of aptamers for target validation can be coupled with their subsequent use in HTS.     

Aptamers as therapeutic and diagnostic agents

Aptamers are oligonucleotides derived from an in vitro evolution process called SELEX. Aptamers have been evolved to bind proteins which are associated with a number of disease states. Using this method, many powerful antagonists of such proteins have been found. In order for these antagonists to work in animal models of disease and in humans, it is necessary to modify the aptamers. First of all, sugar modifications of nucleoside triphosphates are necessary to render the resulting aptamers resistant to nucleases found in serum. Changing the 2'OH groups of ribose to 2'F or 2'NH2 groups yields aptamers which are long lived in blood. The relatively low molecular weight of aptamers (8000-12000) leads to rapid clearance from the blood. Aptamers can be kept in the circulation from hours to days by conjugating them to higher molecular weight vehicles. When modified, conjugated aptamers are injected into animals, they inhibit physiological functions known to be associated with their target proteins. A new approach to diagnostics is also described. Aptamer arrays on solid surfaces will become available rapidly because the SELEX protocol has been successfully automated. The use of photo-cross-linkable aptamers will allow the covalent attachment of aptamers to their cognate proteins, with very low backgrounds from other proteins in body fluids. Finally, protein staining with any reagent which distinguishes functional groups of amino acids from those of nucleic acids (and the solid support) will give a direct readout of proteins on the solid support.     

Assays for cytokines using aptamers

Aptamers are short nucleic acid sequences that are used as ligands to bind their targets with high affinity. They are generated via the combinatorial chemistry procedure systematic evolution of ligands by exponential enrichment (SELEX). Aptamers have shown much promise towards detection of a variety of protein targets, including cytokines. Specifically, for the determination of cytokines and growth factors, several assays making use of aptamers have been developed, including aptamer-based enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays, antibody-linked oligonucleotide assay, fluorescence (anisotropy and resonance energy transfer) assays, and proximity ligation assays. In this article, the concept of aptamer selection using SELEX and the assay formats using aptamers for the detection of cytokines are discussed.     

Aptamers-based assays for diagnostics, environmental and food analysis

Aptamers are single stranded DNA or RNA ligands which can be selected for different targets starting from a huge library of molecules containing randomly created sequences. Aptamers have been selected to bind very different targets, from proteins to small organic dyes. In addition to the very important aspect of having an unlimited source of identical affinity recognition molecules available due to the selection process, aptamers can offer advantages over antibodies that make them very promising for analytical applications. The use of aptamers as therapeutic tools is nowadays well established. On the contrary, the analytical application of aptamers in diagnostic devices or in systems for environmental and food analysis, is still under investigation and the scientific community still need further research to demonstrate the advancements brought by this new kind of ligands. This review will focus on these latter applications with particular attention to the detection of food pathogens, terrorism threat agents, thrombin and cytokines.     

Aptamers: versatile probes for flow cytometry

Aptamers are nucleic acid oligomers with distinct conformational shapes that allow them to bind targets with high affinity and specificity. Aptamers are selected from a random oligonucleotide library by their capability to bind a certain molecular target. A variety of targets ranging from small molecules like amino acids to complex targets and whole cells have been used to select aptamers. These characteristics and the ability to create specific aptamers against virtually any cell type in a process termed “systematic evolution by exponential enrichment” make them interesting tools for flow cytometry. In this contribution, we review the application of aptamers as probes for flow cytometry, especially cell-phenotyping and detection of various cancer cell lines and virus-infected cells and pathogens. We also discuss the potential of aptamers combined with nanoparticles such as quantum dots for the generation of new multivalent detector molecules with enhanced affinity and sensitivity. With regard to recent advancements in aptamer selection and the decreasing costs for oligonucleotide synthesis, aptamers may rise as potent competitors for antibodies as molecular probes in flow cytometry.     

Aptamer therapeutics advance

Aptamers are selected nucleic acid binding species with affinities and specificities for protein targets that rival those of monoclonal antibodies. Furthermore, aptamers have definite advantages over antibodies, in that they can be chemically synthesized and modifications can be introduced that improve their stabilities and pharmacokinetic properties. A number of aptamers against therapeutically important targets have shown efficacy in cell and animal models, and a handful of aptamers are now in clinical trials or are being used as drugs. Recent advances in selection technologies and a more thorough exploration of how to deliver nucleic acids to target cells and tissues should further speed the process of drug development.     

Assays for aptamer-based platforms

Aptamers are single stranded DNA or RNA oligonucleotides that have high affinity and specificity towards a wide range of target molecules. Aptamers have low molecular weight, amenable to chemical modifications and exhibit stability undeterred by repetitive denaturation and renaturation. Owing to these indispensable advantages, aptamers have been implemented as molecular recognition element as alternative to antibodies in various assays for diagnostics. By amalgamating with a number of methods that can provide information on the aptamer-target complex formation, aptamers have become the elemental tool for numerous biosensor developments. In this review, administration of aptamers in applications involving assays of fluorescence, electrochemistry, nano-label and nano-constructs are discussed. Although detection strategies are different for various aptamer-based assays, the core of the design strategies is similar towards reporting the presence of specific target binding to the corresponding aptamers. It is prognosticated that aptamers will find even broader applications with the development of new methods of transducing aptamer target binding.     

Molecular recognition elements: DNA/RNA-aptamers to proteins

The review summarizes data on DNA/RNA aptamers, a novel class of molecular recognition elements. Special attention is paid to the aptamers to proteins involved into pathogenesis of wide spread human diseases. These include aptamers to serine proteases, cytokines, influenza viral proteins, immune deficiency virus protein and nucleic acid binding proteins. High affinity and specific binding of aptamers to particular protein targets make them attractive as direct protein inhibitors. They can inhibit pathogenic proteins and data presented here demonstrate that the idea that nucleic acid aptamers can regulate (inhibit) activity of protein targets has been transformed from the stage of basic developments into the stage of realization of practical tasks.     

Aptamers against extracellular targets for in vivo applications

Oligonucleotides are multifunctional molecules which can interfere with gene expression by different mechanism such as antisense, RNA interference, ribozymes, etc. For most in vivo diagnostic and therapeutic applications, oligonucleotides need to be delivered to the intracellular compartment of a specific organ, a difficult task which limits considerably their use. However, aptamer oligonucleotides which target extracellular markers obviate this problem. Aptamers are short oligonucleotides (<100 bases) selected from large combinatorial pools of sequences for their capacity to bind to many types of different targets, ranging from small molecules (amino acids, antibiotics...) to proteins or nucleic acid structures. Aptamers present the same high specificity and affinity for their targets as antibodies. In addition to efficient binding, aptamers have been shown in many cases to display an inhibitory activity on their targets. Moreover, they seem to lack immunogenicity and can be chemically modified in order to improve their stability against nucleases or extend their blood circulation time, two properties which are particularly useful for in vivo applications. Recently, aptamers have been selected against whole living cells, opening a new avenue which presents three major advantages 1) direct selection without prior purification of the targets; 2) conservation of membrane proteins in their native conformation similar to the in vivo conditions and 3) identification of (new) targets for a specific phenotype. Many aptamers are now being developed against biomedical relevant extracellular targets: membrane receptor proteins, hormones, neuropeptides, coagulation factors... Among them, one aptamer that inhibits the human VEGF165 has recently been approved by FDA for the treatment of age-related macular degeneration. Here we discuss the recent developments of aptamers against extracellular targets for in vivo therapy and as tools for diagnosis using molecular imaging.