(99m)Tc-MAG3-aptamer for imaging human tumors associated with high level of matrix metalloprotease-9.

The human matrix metalloprotease 9 (hMMP-9) is involved in many physiological processes such as tissue remodeling. Its overexpression in tumors promotes the release of cancer cells thus contributing to tumor metastasis. It is a relevant marker of malignant tumors.

Aptamers as imaging agents.

Importance Of The Field: Aptamers are structured oligonucleotides able to bind with high affinity and specificity a wide range of targets. Over the last decade, aptamers have been developed as targeting agents for diagnostics. Advances in imaging methods have led to a new generation of targeting molecules such as aptamer-based probes.

Aptamers: a new class of oligonucleotides in the drug discovery pipeline?

Aptamers are oligonucleotides identified in a randomly synthesized library containing up to 10(15) different molecules that fold into defined three-dimensional structures. Following their selection for predetermined properties at the end of an iterative process known as SELEX (Systematic Evolution of Ligands by Exponential enrichment) they can be chemically modified in order to provide them with additional properties. These molecules display both high affinity and specificity for their target.

Determinants of apical loop-internal loop RNA-RNA interactions involving the HCV IRES.

Domain II of the hepatitis C virus internal ribosome entry site is a major RNA structure involved in the viral mRNA translation. It comprises four different structural domains. We performed in vitro selection against the apical loop of the domain II and we identified RNA aptamers folding as an imperfect hairpin with an internal loop of interacting with the apical loop of the domain II.