Development of HBsAg-Binding Aptamers that bind HepG2.2.15 cells via HBV surface antigen

Hepatitis B virus surface antigen(HBsAg),a specific antigen on the membrane of Hepatitis B virus (HBV)-infected cells,provides a perfect target for therapeutic drugs.The development of reagents with high affinity and specificity to the HBsAg is of great significance to the early-stage diagnosis and treatment of HBV infection.Herein,we report the selection of RNA aptamers that can specifically bind to HBsAg protein and HBsAg-positive hepatocytes.One high affinity aptamer,HBs-A22,was isolated from an initial ...     

Chip-based detection of hepatitis C virus using RNA aptamers that specifically bind to HCV core antigen

The development of reagents with high affinity and specificity to the antigens of hepatitis C virus (HCV) is important for the early stage diagnosis of its infection. Aptamers are short, single-stranded oligonucleotides with the ability to specifically recognize target molecules with high affinity. Herein, we report the selection of RNA aptamers that bind to the core antigen of HCV. High affinity aptamers were isolated from a 10(15) random library of 60 mer RNAs using the SELEX procedure. Importantly, the selected aptamers specifically bound to the core antigen, but not to another HCV antigen, NS5, in a protein chip-based assay. Using these aptamers, we developed an aptamer-based biosensor for HCV diagnosis and detected the core antigen from HCV infected patients' sera with good specificity. This novel aptamer-based antigen detection sensor could be applied to the early diagnosis of HCV infection.     

Analysis of the evolution of the thrombin-inhibiting DNA aptamers using a genetic algorithm

We previously identified a thrombin-inhibiting DNA aptamer that was presumed to form a G-quartet structure with a duplex. To investigate the importance of the sequences in the duplex region and to obtain aptamers with higher inhibitory activities, we randomized the sequences of the duplex region of this aptamer and carried out selection based on inhibitory activity using a genetic algorithm. This method consisted of selection via an inhibition assay, crossover, and mutation in silico. After two cycles, we obtained ligands with greater inhibitory activities than that of the original aptamer. In addition, the duplex sequences were found to contribute to the inhibitory activities of aptamers.     

SELEX法筛选宫颈癌前病变核酸适配子

构建随机ssDNA文库,通过SELEX技术,以正常、炎性宫颈脱落细胞为反筛细胞,以上皮内低级别病变(CIN1)、上皮内高级别病变(CIN2、CIN3)和鳞状细胞癌脱落细胞为正筛细胞,经过12轮筛选特异性适配子高度富集得到宫颈癌前病变适配子库,经特异性、亲和力分析和细胞免疫荧光确立高特异性适配子CIN-Ap4可作为诊断宫颈癌前病变生物标志物,为宫颈癌前病变分子诊断奠定理论基础,提供新思路。利用Prime Premier 5.0设计构建了随机ssDNA文库并根据文库两端固定序列设计引物,对对称PCR和间接不对称PCR中的退火温度、循环数以及上、下游引物浓度比等条件进行优化,分析确定50μL反应体系中对称PCR的最佳反应条件为:最佳退火温度为49.5℃,最佳循环数为15个循环;间接不对称PCR的最佳反应条件为:50μL反应体系中上、下游引物浓度的最佳比例为80∶1,最佳循环数为35个循环。实验结果表明成功构建了寡核苷酸文库,在最适PCR条件下可获得理想的dsDNA和ssDNA,并具有良好的重复性,为顺利筛选适配子提供保证。     

基于适体技术的桔青毒素检测方法的建立

桔青毒素（citrinin,CTN）是以玉米、谷物、奶酪等为主要成分的食品和动物饲料中常见的、由桔青霉菌产生的酮类真菌毒素,可引起人和动物的慢性中毒或癌症,一直缺少灵敏的快速检测方法。本文通过指数富集适体系统进化技术（简称SELEX）对可能与CTN结合的特异性适体进行了筛选,经过15轮循环,得到17条适体。通过二级结构分析、亲和力检测发现适体13（Apt-13）对CTN有较好的亲和度,解离常数Kd为0.06μmol/L。进一步利用非荧光标记染料PicoGreen,利用其与双链DNA结合的原理,建立了桔青毒素非标记荧光检测方法,30min完成检测,最低检测限达到国家标准（50ppb）且与其他毒素无交叉反应。本研究建立的基于适体的桔青毒素检测技术成本低,可以替代传统的基于抗体的检测方法,为霉菌毒素的精准检测技术的开发提供了实验证据。     

核酸适配体在肿瘤免疫治疗中的应用

核酸适配体是指通过指数富集的配体系统进化技术(systematic evolution of ligands by exponential enrichment, SELEX)技术得到的一种可以高特异性、高亲和性识别靶标物质的单链DNA或RNA,可以作为靶向性治疗的分子探针。指数富集的配体系统进化技术即SELEX技术是在体外合成一个随机序列的文库,通过4个步骤孵育、分离、回收、扩增即可获得相对应的核酸适配体。通过几十年的发展,如今SELEX技术已成为一种重要的研究手段。核酸适配体具有稳定性强、分子量小、易进行化学合成和修饰、能特异性结合包括从小分子到细胞等靶标,识别范围广等优点,被广泛应用在肿瘤领域。免疫治疗与传统的肿瘤治疗方式不同,它是增强机体自身免疫系统来达到清除体内肿瘤细胞的一种方式,已被临床证明是治疗多种癌症的有效方法,例如针对免疫检查点CTLA4和PD-L1/PD-1的抗体,临床试验取得了成功,这为肿瘤的治疗带来了新的思路方法。目前,相关的免疫治疗药物已经上市应用于临床治疗,但是通过免疫治疗获益的肿瘤患者相对较少且会产生严重的副作用。核酸适配体与免疫相结合,为肿瘤的治疗提供了...     

灭活铜绿假单胞菌适体的筛选

利用指数富集配基的系统进化(SELEX)技术,以灭活的铜绿假单胞菌为靶标,从体外合成的96 nt随机ssDNA文库中筛选与铜绿假单胞菌特异结合的适体.在第12轮和第14轮与其它假单胞菌属进行反筛策略,并进行了适体的结合亲和力的测定,再分别利用ClustalX、Mega2和Mfold sever软件分析适体的一级和二级结构.研究结果表明,经过15轮筛选,随机ssDNA文库与铜绿假单胞菌结合的A值从0.022上升到0.448.反筛与未反筛的结合A比值最高比为53倍.经过第15轮反筛后的24个阳性克隆子测序,根据软件分析,其可分成10个家族.每个家族都有其共同的保守序列（除第10个家族）,其中有2条序列几乎完全一致(F23和F47),同源性达到97%,A值分别高达1.598和1.508,Kd为14.55和77.46 nmol/L,间接说明适体与铜绿假单胞菌的结合力明显增高.     

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.     

A screening method for DNA aptamers that bind to␣a␣specific, unidentified protein in tissue samples

Aptamers are oligonucleotide ligands with a high affinity to, and specificity for, various target molecules and they are expected to be powerful tools for proteomic analysis. To select aptamers that bind to a specific unidentified protein in tissues for protein analysis, a screening method was developed using chicken skeletal muscle as a model. Target proteins in the target mixture were separated by electrophoresis and transferred to a membrane, and a DNA library was added onto it. The aptamers that bound to the target protein were visualized by chemiluminescence and collected by cutting out the visualized band. The specific aptamers to the target protein were selected by only one round of selection using this screening, suggesting this screening method might be useful for selecting aptamers for proteome analysis.     

Selection of DNA aptamers that bind to influenza A viruses with high affinity and broad subtype specificity

Many cases of influenza are reported worldwide every year. The influenza virus often acquires new antigenicity, which is known as antigenic shift; this results in the emergence of new virus strains, for which preexisting immunity is not found in the population resulting in influenza pandemics. In the event a new strain emerges, diagnostic tools must be developed rapidly to detect the novel influenza strain. The generation of high affinity antibodies is costly and takes time; therefore, an alternative detection system, aptamer detection, provides a viable alternative to antibodies as a diagnostic tool. In this study, we developed DNA aptamers that bind to HA1 proteins of multiple influenza A virus subtypes by the SELEX procedure. To evaluate the binding properties of these aptamers using colorimetric methods, we developed a novel aptamer-based sandwich detection method employing our newly identified aptamers. This novel sandwich enzyme-linked aptamer assay successfully detected the H5N1, H1N1, and H3N2 subtypes of influenza A virus with almost equal sensitivities. These findings suggest that our aptamers are attractive candidates for use as simple and sensitive diagnostic tools that need sandwich system for detecting the influenza A virus with broad subtype specificities.     

Novel evidence suggests Hepatitis B virus surface proteins participate in regulation of HBV genome replication

Naturally occurring mutations in surface proteins of Hepatitis B virus (HBV) usually result in altered hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) secretion efficiency. In the present study, we reported two conserved residues, M75 and M103 with respect to HBsAg, mutations of which not only attenuated HBsAg secretion (M75 only), but also suppressed HBV genome replication without compromising the overlapping p-gene product. We also found M75 and M103 can initiate truncated surface protein (TSPs) synthesis upon over-expression of full-length surface proteins, which may possibly contribute to HBV genome replication. However, attempts to rescue replication-defective HBV mutant by co-expression of TSPs initiated from M75 or M103 were unsuccessful, which indicated surface proteins rather than the putative TSPs were involved in regulation of HBV genome replication.     

Production of Guanosine by Psicofuranine and Decoyinine Resistant Mutants of Bacillus subtilis

Growth of Bacillus subtilis AG169 that produced large amounts of xanthosine and guanosine was inhibited by psicofuranine. When AG169 was mutated to resistance against psicofuranine, a mutant, GP–1, which yielded more guanosine was obtained. Psicofuranine did not inhibit growth of GP–1 any more. The guanosine 5′-monophosphate (GMP) synthetase activities were then assayed. In GP–1, the specific activity decreased about half, the complete loss of repression by GMP was found, and the inhibition by GMP was slightly loosed, when compared with those of AG169.

Furthermore, as growth of GP–1 was strongly inhibited by decoyinine, decoyinine resistant mutants were derived from GP–1. Of these mutants, two strains, MG–1 and MG–4, were resistant to decoyinine completely and showed the exclusive accumulation of guanosine in high yields, i.e. 16.0 and 15.5 g of guanosine per liter with weight yields of 20.0 and 19.4% of consumed sugar, respectively. GMP synthetase activity of MG–1 increased remarkably in comparison with that of GP–1 or AG169, and the inhibitions by GMP, psicofuranine and decoyinine were completely released in MG–1. Namely, the psicofuranine and decoyinine resistances seemed to cause mainly variations of GMP synthetase, and as results, the conversion of xanthosine 5′-monophosphate (XMP) to GMP proceeded more smoothly, and a larger amount of guanosine was accumulated.     

核酸适配体及其在病原微生物学中的应用

核酸适配体指利用指数富集配体系统进化技术筛选出的寡聚核苷酸片段,它可以特异性地识别靶标并与之结合,已经广泛应用于基础研究、临床诊断、纳米技术等。以下综述了适配体在微生物学方面的应用。     

Selection and Identification of Aptamers Against B Cell Activating Factor

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is the most common autoimmune disease in China. B cell activating factor (BAFF) is an important target for the treatment and detection of SLE. It is of great significance to develop novel molecular recognition elements with high affinity for BAFF. In this study, artificial nucleic acid aptamers against BAFF were screened from a 78 nt single-stranded DNA random library by systematic evolution of ligands exponential enrichment (SELEX) in vitro based on several selection and amplification steps. Through ten rounds of selection, the aptamers with high specificity and affinity for BAFF were identified. After high-throughput sequencing, several aptamers were selected and further examined for binding affinity and specificity. The investigation by dot blotting, Eastern blotting analyses and enzyme-linked oligonucleotide assay (ELONA) showed that the aptamers Apt 7 and Apt 12 with dissociation constants of 241.00±19.75 nmol/L and 413.51±46.94 nmol/L were able to recognize BAFF specifically. After molecular docking analysis, Apt 7 was truncated to Apt 7～1, and the dissociation constant was 192.10±28.61 nmol/L. A sandwich ELONA using Apt 7～1 and BAFF antibodies was established to detect BAFF. The detection limit was estimated to be 0.227 nmol/L. This study provides new molecular recognition elements for the detection of BAFF and the study of antagonists.     

应用双向热循环消减SELEX技术筛选胃癌血清核酸适配体

胃癌是发病率及死亡率均较高的消化道恶性肿瘤之一,严重威胁人类的生命健康。血清肿瘤标志物的检测对提高早期胃癌的检出率,改善胃癌的治疗有重要的意义。核酸适配体以其灵敏度高、靶向性强等优势显示出了较强的临床适用性。本研究以双向热循环消减指数富集式配基系统进化(systematic evolution of ligands by exponential enrichment,SELEX)技术为支持,纳米（琼脂）磁珠材料为载体,胃癌血清及正常人血清为筛选靶标,结合高通量测序技术建立了快速高效的核酸适配体筛选方法。经过19轮双向筛选,获得高重复率的胃癌血清特异性核酸适配体序列10条及正常人血清特异性核酸适配体序列8条。将这些序列分别混合并制成检测试剂A、B,结合实时荧光定量PCR（quantitative real-time PCR,qPCR）技术,对100份临床血清样本进行特异性验证。通过比较分析,建立了快速高效的胃癌血清检测技术。结果显示,核酸适配体G AP1与N AP1的二级结构类似于抗体的“Y”型,且呈茎环状。检测试剂A、B对胃癌及正常人血清的检出率分别为92%和88%。表明本技术可以较准确地筛选得到高特异性和强亲和力的核酸适配体,体现了核酸适配体作为新型肿瘤标志物在临床检测及治疗的应用潜力。     

HBV DNA环化结构在体外的复制表达水平优于HBV线性结构的表达质粒

为了研究乙型肝炎病毒（hepatitis B virus, HBV）DNA环化结构与HBV线性结构的表达质粒在体外复制表达水平的差异,采用3种含有HBV全长DNA的表达质粒与自连环化的HBV DNA分别转染Huh7细胞. 5 d后收集转染处理过的Huh7细胞和细胞上清,从感染细胞中抽提纯化HBV复制中间体进行Southern印迹分析,并将细胞培养上清进行ELISA分析.结果显示,HBV DNA通过环化后转染Huh7细胞,可高效地进行转录和复制表达,且优于质粒转染的效果.证明在细胞中,HBV DNA环状结构的复制表达能力优于HBV线性结构的表达质粒.     

In vitro selection of high-affinity nucleic acid ligands to parasite target molecules

The logic of using nucleic acids as pharmaceutical reagents is in part based on their capacity to interact with high affinity and specificity with other biological components. Considerable progress has been made over the past 10 years in the development of nucleic acid-based drug molecules using a variety of different technologies. One approach is a combinatorial technology that involves an iterative Darwinian-type in vitro evolution process, which has been termed SELEX for 'systematic evolution of ligands by exponential enrichment'. The procedure is a highly efficient method of identifying rare ligands from combinatorial nucleic acid libraries of very high complexity. It allows the selection of nucleic acid molecules with desired functions and it has been instrumental in the identification of a number of synthetic DNA and RNA molecules, so-called aptamers that recognise ligands of different chemical origin. The method is fast, it does not require special equipment and the selected aptamers typically bind their target with high affinity and high specificity. Here we summarise the recent examples of the SELEX technique within the context of identifying high-affinity ligands against parasite target molecules.     

黑龙江省乙型肝炎血清流行病学调查分析

为了掌握黑龙江省乙型肝炎(乙肝)病毒(HBV)流行现状和人群免疫水平,评价我省儿童乙肝疫苗预防接种效果,为制订乙肝预防控制策略提供依据。采用横断面调查方法,选择全省7个国家级疾病监测点,在每个监测点随机抽取2个乡级单位,1～59岁作为目标人群共调查3337名人群。黑龙江省1～59岁人群乙肝病毒表面抗原(HBsAg)阳性率、乙肝病毒表面抗体(抗-HBs)阳性率和乙肝病毒核心抗体(抗-HBc)阳性率经标化后为5.65%、55.45%、30.50%,1～3岁人群乙肝表面抗原阳性率明显低于15～59岁人群。1～3岁、4～10岁和11～14岁人群乙肝疫苗全程接种率为99.43%、89.40%和64.81%;首针及时接种率分别为86.64%、75.57%和49.87。城市和农村HbsAg阳性率分别为3.26%和5.04%。医院出生儿童乙肝疫苗首针及时接种率高于在家出生儿童。结果显示接种乙肝疫苗可明显提高抗-HBs阳性率,提高人群对HBV的免疫保护能力,降低HBsAg携带率。     

全细菌SELEX法筛选粪肠球菌特异性适配体

肠球菌（Enterococcus）是内源性和外源性医院感染的第二大病原菌,检出率仅次于大肠杆菌,从分子水平上发展靶标的高亲和力分子探针对肠球菌的识别和检测具有非常重要的意义。本研究以粪肠球菌为靶标,运用全细菌指数富集的配体系统进化技术（whole-bacteria systematic evolution of ligands by exponential enrichment, whole-bacteria SELEX）,从全长为79个核苷酸包含35个随机碱基序列的单链DNA文库中筛选与靶标高亲和力、高特异性结合的适配体,利用荧光分析法监控筛选过程中不同轮次所得次级文库与粪肠球菌的结合力,经12轮筛选和克隆测序,获得了39条适配体序列。进一步对筛选得到的适配体进行序列比对、二级结构分析、流式细胞分析、解离常数（Kd）测定及特异性验证,最终获得一条与粪肠球菌能特异性结合的适配体Apt 21,其Kd值为549.2 ± 147.4 nmol/L。该适配体可作为粪肠球菌检测的识别元件,为建立基于适配体的新型粪肠球菌检测方法奠定了基础。