Aptamer-Based Anticancer Therapies

Single-stranded oligonucleotides known as aptamers have distinctive three-dimensional structures that allow them to precisely bind and interact with their respective targets, such as proteins and cells. Many aptamers have been created to target cancer biomarkers with high specificity and affinity, some of these aptamers are used as versatile guiding ligands for anti-cancer treatments and drug delivery that targets specific cancers. The aptamers that target tumor surface biomarkers are discussed in this review, along with applications of aptamers as agonists and antagonists that respectively activate anti-cancer and inactivate pro-cancer biomarkers. The use of aptamer-drug or aptamer-oligonucleotide conjugates to transport therapeutic drugs, such as tiny interfering RNAs, micro RNAs, short hairpin RNAs, and chemotherapeutic compounds, to cancer cells is also covered in this chapter. We also include examples of nano-vehicles that have been modified with cancer-fighting oligonucleotide aptamers, including liposomes, micelles, polymeric nanoparticles, and quantum dots. Innovative uses of aptamer-based cancer treatments will be made possible by the conjugation of aptamers with anti-cancer medications and nano-vehicles.