Efficacy of newly discovered DNA aptamers targeting AXL in a lung cancer cell with acquired resistance to Erlotinib.

Background: Accumulating evidences indicate that AXL overexpression or activation is associated with cancer progression and acquired resistance to targeted anti-cancer drugs such as epidermal growth factor receptor-tyrosine kinase inhibitors (EGFR-TKIs). Despite recent development of several drugs that target multiple receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs), drugs that selectively target AXL signaling are extremely rare. Short nucleic acid aptamers are non-immunogenic molecules with high binding affinity and specificity to their target molecules that could potentially be used as a novel cancer treatment.

Modified AS1411 Aptamer Suppresses Hepatocellular Carcinoma by Up-Regulating Galectin-14.

Aptamers are small synthetic oligonucleotides that bind to target proteins with high specificity and affinity. AS1411 is an aptamer that binds to nucleolin, which is overexpressed in the cytoplasm and occurs on the surface of cancer cells. We investigated the therapeutic potential of aptamers in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) by evaluating anti-tumor effects and confirming the affinity and specificity of AS1411- and modified AS1411-aptamers in HCC cells.