Aptamer's Structure Optimization for Better Diagnosis and Treatment of Glial Tumors.

Oncological diseases are a major focus in medicine, with millions diagnosed each year, leading researchers to seek new diagnostic and treatment methods. One promising avenue is the development of targeted therapies and rapid diagnostic tests using recognition molecules. The pharmaceutical industry is increasingly exploring nucleic acid-based therapeutics.

Monitoring of breast cancer progression via aptamer-based detection of circulating tumor cells in clinical blood samples.

Breast cancer (BC) diagnostics lack noninvasive methods and procedures for screening and monitoring disease dynamics. Admitted CellSearch is used for fluid biopsy and capture of circulating tumor cells of only epithelial origin. Here we describe an RNA aptamer (MDA231) for detecting BC cells in clinical samples, including blood.

Development of DNA aptamers for visualization of glial brain tumors and detection of circulating tumor cells.

Here, we present DNA aptamers capable of specific binding to glial tumor cells , , and for visualization diagnostics of central nervous system tumors. We selected the aptamers binding specifically to the postoperative human glial primary tumors and not to the healthy brain cells and meningioma, using a modified process of systematic evolution of ligands by exponential enrichment to cells; sequenced and analyzed ssDNA pools using bioinformatic tools and identified the best aptamers by their binding abilities; determined three-dimensional structures of lead aptamers (Gli-55 and Gli-233) with small-angle X-ray scattering and molecular modeling; isolated and identified molecular target proteins of the aptamers by mass spectrometry; the potential binding sites of Gli-233 to the target protein and the role of post-translational modifications were verified by molecular dynamics simulations. The anti-glioma aptamers Gli-233 and Gli-55 were used to detect circulating tumor cells in liquid biopsies.

Laser Cleaning Improves Stem Cell Adhesion on the Dental Implant Surface during Peri-Implantitis Treatment.

Dental implant therapy is a well-accepted treatment modality. Despite good predictability and success in the early stages, the risk of postplacement inflammation in the long-term periods remains an urgent problem. Surgical access and decontamination with chemical and mechanical methods are more effective than antibiotic therapy.

Synthesis and Growth of Rare Earth Borates NaSrR(BO) (R = Ho-Lu, Y, Sc).

NaSrR(BO) (R = Ho-Lu, Y, Sc) compounds were obtained for the first time. Their structures exhibit disordered positions of Sr and Na atoms while RO polyhedra are connected through the BO groups. Large distances between R atoms and high transparency in the range of 250-900 nm make them promising for phosphor applications.

Development of Electrochemical Aptasensor for Lung Cancer Diagnostics in Human Blood.

We describe the preparation and characterization of an aptamer-based electrochemical sensor to lung cancer tumor markers in human blood. The highly reproducible aptamer sensing layer with a high density (up to 70% coverage) on the gold electrode was made. Electrochemical methods and confocal laser scanning microscopy were used to study the stability of the aptamer layer structure and binding ability.

Aptamer-Conjugated Superparamagnetic Ferroarabinogalactan Nanoparticles for Targeted Magnetodynamic Therapy of Cancer.

Nanotechnologies involving physical methods of tumor destruction using functional oligonucleotides are promising for targeted cancer therapy. Our study presents magnetodynamic therapy for selective elimination of tumor cells in vivo using DNA aptamer-functionalized magnetic nanoparticles exposed to a low frequency alternating magnetic field. We developed an enhanced targeting approach of cancer cells with aptamers and arabinogalactan.

The Discovery of RNA Aptamers that Selectively Bind Glioblastoma Stem Cells.

Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most aggressive primary brain tumor in adults. Despite progress in surgical and medical neuro-oncology, prognosis for GBM patients remains dismal, with a median survival of only 14-15 months. The modest benefit of conventional therapies is due to the presence of GBM stem cells (GSCs) that cause tumor relapse and chemoresistance and, therefore, that play a key role in GBM aggressiveness and recurrence.

Development of DNA Aptamers to Native EpCAM for Isolation of Lung Circulating Tumor Cells from Human Blood.

We selected DNA aptamers to the epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM) expressed on primary lung cancer cells isolated from the tumors of patients with non-small cell lung cancer using competitive displacement of aptamers from EpCAM by a corresponding antibody. The resulting aptamers clones showed good nanomolar affinity to EpCAM-positive lung cancer cells. Confocal microscopy imaging and spectral profiling of lung cancer tissues confirmed the same protein target for the aptamers and anti-EpCAM antibodies.

Comparative Study of Physicochemical and Antibacterial Properties of ZnO Nanoparticles Prepared by Laser Ablation of Zn Target in Water and Air.

Here, we report on ZnO nanoparticles (NPs) generated by nanosecond pulsed laser (Nd:YAG, 1064 nm) through ablation of metallic Zn target in water and air and their comparative analysis as potential nanomaterials for biomedical applications. The prepared nanomaterials were carefully characterized in terms of their structure, composition, morphology and defects. It was found that in addition to the main wurtzite ZnO phase, which is conventionally prepared and reported by others, the sample laser generated in air also contained some amount of monoclinic zinc hydroxynitrate.

Copper Nanoparticles for Ascorbic Acid Sensing in Water on Carbon Screen-printed Electrodes.

A carbon screen-printed electrode was modified with copper nanoparticles from their dispersion obtained via pulsed laser ablation of a copper target in ethanol. The modified electrode exhibited activity in ascorbic acid electrochemical oxidation, giving an anodic current peak on voltammograms. Linear sweep and cyclic voltammetry have shown a linear dependence of the signal (both peak height and peak area) on the ascorbic acid concentration.