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Aptamers Against Live Targets: Is In Vivo SELEX Finally Coming to the Edge? MOLECULAR THERAPY. NUCLEIC ACIDS 2020; 21:192-204. [PMID: 32585627 PMCID: PMC7321788 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtn.2020.05.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2020] [Revised: 04/18/2020] [Accepted: 05/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Targeted therapeutics underwent a revolution with the entry of monoclonal antibodies in the medical toolkit. Oligonucleotide aptamers form another family of target agents that have been lagging behind in reaching the clinical arena in spite of their potential clinical translation. Some of the reasons for this might be related to the challenge in identifying aptamers with optimal in vivo specificity, and the nature of their pharmacokinetics. Aptamers usually show exquisite specificity, but they are also molecules that display dynamic structures subject to changing environments. Temperature, ion atmosphere, pH, and other variables are factors that could determine the affinity and specificity of aptamers. Thus, it is important to tune the aptamer selection process to the conditions in which you want your final aptamer to function; ideally, for in vivo applications, aptamers should be selected in an in vivo-like system or, ultimately, in a whole in vivo organism. In this review we recapitulate the implementations in systematic evolution of ligands by exponential enrichment (SELEX) to obtain aptamers with the best in vivo activity.
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Zhong Y, Zhao J, Li J, Liao X, Chen F. Advances of aptamers screened by Cell-SELEX in selection procedure, cancer diagnostics and therapeutics. Anal Biochem 2020; 598:113620. [PMID: 32087127 DOI: 10.1016/j.ab.2020.113620] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2019] [Revised: 02/10/2020] [Accepted: 02/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Aptamers are a class of short artificial single-stranded oligo(deoxy) nucleotides that can bind to different targets, which generated by Systematic Evolution of Ligands by Exponential Enrichment (SELEX). Due to excellent selectivity and high affinity to targets, aptamers hold considerable potential as molecular probe in diverse applications ranging from ensuring food safety, monitoring environment, disease diagnosis to therapy. This review highlights recent development and challenges about aptamers screened by Cell-SELEX, and its application about cancer diagnostics and therapeutics. Advances about some operation methods such as seperation method and culture method in aptamers selection procedure were summarized in this paper. Some common challenges and technological difficulties such as nonspecific binding and biostability were discussed. Up to now, the recent endeavors about cancer diagnostic and therapeutic applications of aptamers are summarized and expatiated. Most of aptamers screened by Cell-SELEX took tumor cells as target cells, and such aptamers have been assembled to various aptasensor for cancer diagnosis. Aptamers conjugated various drugs or nanomaterials are functioned for cancer target therapy to improve drugs delivery efficiency and reduce side effects. Furthermore, the duplexed aptamer is discussed to be applied for cancer cells detection and some conflicts of theories about duplexed aptamer designs are analyzed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi Zhong
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China; National Center for International Research of Bio-targeting Theranostics, Guangxi Key Laboratory of Bio-targeting Theranostics, Collaborative Innovation Center for Targeting Tumor Diagnosis and Therapy, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, 530021, Guangxi, China
| | - Jiayao Zhao
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China; National Center for International Research of Bio-targeting Theranostics, Guangxi Key Laboratory of Bio-targeting Theranostics, Collaborative Innovation Center for Targeting Tumor Diagnosis and Therapy, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, 530021, Guangxi, China
| | - Jiazhao Li
- Qionglai maternal&Child health care hospital, Chengdu, 611530, Sichuan, China
| | - Xin Liao
- School of laboratory medical and Life science, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325000, Fujian, China
| | - Fengling Chen
- National Center for International Research of Bio-targeting Theranostics, Guangxi Key Laboratory of Bio-targeting Theranostics, Collaborative Innovation Center for Targeting Tumor Diagnosis and Therapy, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, 530021, Guangxi, China.
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Rodríguez-Serrano AF, Hsing IM. 110th Anniversary: Engineered Ribonucleic Acid Control Elements as Biosensors for in Vitro Diagnostics. Ind Eng Chem Res 2019. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.iecr.9b03963] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Alan F. Rodríguez-Serrano
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong
| | - I-Ming Hsing
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong
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Yan J, Xiong H, Cai S, Wen N, He Q, Liu Y, Peng D, Liu Z. Advances in aptamer screening technologies. Talanta 2019; 200:124-144. [DOI: 10.1016/j.talanta.2019.03.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2018] [Revised: 02/20/2019] [Accepted: 03/02/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
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5
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Li K, Deng J, Jin H, Yang X, Fan X, Li L, Zhao Y, Guan Z, Wu Y, Zhang L, Yang Z. Chemical modification improves the stability of the DNA aptamer GBI-10 and its affinity towards tenascin-C. Org Biomol Chem 2018; 15:1174-1182. [PMID: 28084479 DOI: 10.1039/c6ob02577c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Aptamers are useful tools in molecular imaging due to their numerous attractive properties, such as excellent affinity and selectivity to diverse types of target molecules and biocompatibility. We carried out structure-activity relationship studies with the tenascin-C (TN-C) binding aptamer GBI-10, which is a promising candidate in tumor imaging. To increase the tumor targeting ability and nuclease resistance under physiological conditions, systematic modifications of GBI-10 with single and multiple 2'-deoxyinosine (2'-dI) or d-/l-isonucleoside (d-/l-isoNA) were performed. Results indicated that sector 3 of the proposed secondary structure is the most important region for specific binding with TN-C. By correlating the affinity of eighty-four GBI-10 derivatives with their predicted secondary structure by Zuker Mfold, we first validated the preferred secondary structure at 37 °C. We found that d-/l-isoNA modified GBI-10 derivatives exhibited improved affinity to the target as well as plasma stability. Affinity measurement and confocal imaging analysis highlighted one potent compound: 4AL/26TL/32TL, which possessed a significantly increased targeting ability to tumor cells. These results revealed the types of modified nucleotides, and the position and number of substituents in GBI-10 that were critical to the TN-C binding ability. Stabilized TN-C-binding DNA aptamers were prepared and they could be further developed for tumor imaging. Our strategy to introduce 2'-dI and d-/l-isoNA modifications after the selection process is likely to be generally applicable to improve the in vivo stability of aptamers without compromising their binding ability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kunfeng Li
- State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China. # #
| | - Jiali Deng
- State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China. # #
| | - Hongwei Jin
- State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China. # #
| | - Xiantao Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China. # #
| | - Xinmeng Fan
- State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China. # #
| | - Liyu Li
- State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China. # #
| | - Yi Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China. # #
| | - Zhu Guan
- State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China. # #
| | - Yun Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China. # #
| | - Lihe Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China. # #
| | - Zhenjun Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China. # #
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Abstract
Nucleic acid aptamers have tremendous potential as molecular recognition elements in biomedical targeting, analytical arrays, and self-signaling sensors. However, practical limitations and inefficiencies in the process of selecting novel aptamers (SELEX) have hampered widespread adoption of aptamer technologies. Many factors have recently contributed to more effective aptamer screening, but no influence has done more to increase the efficiency, scale, and automation of aptamer selection than that of new microfluidic SELEX techniques. This review introduces aptamers as a powerful chemical and biological tool, briefly highlights traditional SELEX techniques and their limitations, covers in detail the recent advancements in microfluidic methods of aptamer selection and characterization, and suggests possible future directions of the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sean K Dembowski
- Department of Chemistry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA.
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Röthlisberger P, Gasse C, Hollenstein M. Nucleic Acid Aptamers: Emerging Applications in Medical Imaging, Nanotechnology, Neurosciences, and Drug Delivery. Int J Mol Sci 2017; 18:E2430. [PMID: 29144411 PMCID: PMC5713398 DOI: 10.3390/ijms18112430] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2017] [Revised: 11/08/2017] [Accepted: 11/09/2017] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent progresses in organic chemistry and molecular biology have allowed the emergence of numerous new applications of nucleic acids that markedly deviate from their natural functions. Particularly, DNA and RNA molecules-coined aptamers-can be brought to bind to specific targets with high affinity and selectivity. While aptamers are mainly applied as biosensors, diagnostic agents, tools in proteomics and biotechnology, and as targeted therapeutics, these chemical antibodies slowly begin to be used in other fields. Herein, we review recent progress on the use of aptamers in the construction of smart DNA origami objects and MRI and PET imaging agents. We also describe advances in the use of aptamers in the field of neurosciences (with a particular emphasis on the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases) and as drug delivery systems. Lastly, the use of chemical modifications, modified nucleoside triphosphate particularly, to enhance the binding and stability of aptamers is highlighted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pascal Röthlisberger
- Institut Pasteur, Department of Structural Biology and Chemistry, Laboratory for Bioorganic Chemistry of Nucleic Acids, CNRS UMR3523, 28, rue du Docteur Roux, 75724 Paris CEDEX 15, France.
| | - Cécile Gasse
- Institute of Systems & Synthetic Biology, Xenome Team, 5 rue Henri Desbruères Genopole Campus 1, University of Evry, F-91030 Evry, France.
| | - Marcel Hollenstein
- Institut Pasteur, Department of Structural Biology and Chemistry, Laboratory for Bioorganic Chemistry of Nucleic Acids, CNRS UMR3523, 28, rue du Docteur Roux, 75724 Paris CEDEX 15, France.
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Analysis and Identification of Aptamer-Compound Interactions with a Maximum Relevance Minimum Redundancy and Nearest Neighbor Algorithm. BIOMED RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2016; 2016:8351204. [PMID: 26955638 PMCID: PMC4756144 DOI: 10.1155/2016/8351204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2015] [Accepted: 01/05/2016] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
Abstract
The development of biochemistry and molecular biology has revealed an increasingly important role of compounds in several biological processes. Like the aptamer-protein interaction, aptamer-compound interaction attracts increasing attention. However, it is time-consuming to select proper aptamers against compounds using traditional methods, such as exponential enrichment. Thus, there is an urgent need to design effective computational methods for searching effective aptamers against compounds. This study attempted to extract important features for aptamer-compound interactions using feature selection methods, such as Maximum Relevance Minimum Redundancy, as well as incremental feature selection. Each aptamer-compound pair was represented by properties derived from the aptamer and compound, including frequencies of single nucleotides and dinucleotides for the aptamer, as well as the constitutional, electrostatic, quantum-chemical, and space conformational descriptors of the compounds. As a result, some important features were obtained. To confirm the importance of the obtained features, we further discussed the associations between them and aptamer-compound interactions. Simultaneously, an optimal prediction model based on the nearest neighbor algorithm was built to identify aptamer-compound interactions, which has the potential to be a useful tool for the identification of novel aptamer-compound interactions. The program is available upon the request.
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Dougherty CA, Cai W, Hong H. Applications of aptamers in targeted imaging: state of the art. Curr Top Med Chem 2016; 15:1138-52. [PMID: 25866268 DOI: 10.2174/1568026615666150413153400] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2014] [Revised: 02/13/2015] [Accepted: 02/14/2015] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
Aptamers are single-stranded oligonucleotides with high affinity and specificity to the target molecules or cells, thus they can serve as an important category of molecular targeting ligand. Since their discovery, aptamers have been rapidly translated into clinical practice. The strong target affinity/selectivity, cost-effectivity, chemical versatility and safety of aptamers are superior to traditional peptides- or proteins-based ligands which make them unique choices for molecular imaging. Therefore, aptamers are considered to be extremely useful to guide various imaging contrast agents to the target tissues or cells for optical, magnetic resonance, nuclear, computed tomography, ultrasound and multimodality imaging. This review aims to provide an overview of aptamers' advantages as targeting ligands and their application in targeted imaging. Further research in synthesis of new types of aptamers and their conjugation with new categories of contrast agents is required to develop clinically translatable aptamer-based imaging agents which will eventually result in improved patient care.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Weibo Cai
- Department of Radiology, University of Wisconsin - Madison, Wisconsin 53705-2275, United States.
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10
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Zhu Q, Liu G, Kai M. DNA Aptamers in the Diagnosis and Treatment of Human Diseases. Molecules 2015; 20:20979-97. [PMID: 26610462 PMCID: PMC6332121 DOI: 10.3390/molecules201219739] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2015] [Revised: 11/16/2015] [Accepted: 11/16/2015] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Aptamers have a promising role in the field of life science and have been extensively researched for application as analytical tools, therapeutic agents and as vehicles for targeted drug delivery. Compared with RNA aptamers, DNA aptamers have inherent advantages in stability and facility of generation and synthesis. To better understand the specific potential of DNA aptamers, an overview of the progress in the generation and application of DNA aptamers in human disease diagnosis and therapy are presented in this review. Special attention is given to researches that are relatively close to practical application. DNA aptamers are expected to have great potential in the diagnosis and treatment of human diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qinchang Zhu
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki University, 1-14 Bunkyo-machi, Nagasaki 852-8521, Japan.
| | - Ge Liu
- Department of Genomic Epidemiology, Research Center for Environment and Developmental Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, 3-1-1 Maidashi, Fukuoka 812-8582, Japan.
| | - Masaaki Kai
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki University, 1-14 Bunkyo-machi, Nagasaki 852-8521, Japan.
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Sobczynski DJ, Fish MB, Fromen CA, Carasco-Teja M, Coleman RM, Eniola-Adefeso O. Drug carrier interaction with blood: a critical aspect for high-efficient vascular-targeted drug delivery systems. Ther Deliv 2015; 6:915-34. [PMID: 26272334 PMCID: PMC4618056 DOI: 10.4155/tde.15.38] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Vascular wall endothelial cells control several physiological processes and are implicated in many diseases, making them an attractive candidate for drug targeting. Vascular-targeted drug carriers (VTCs) offer potential for reduced side effects and improved therapeutic efficacy, however, only limited therapeutic success has been achieved to date. This is perhaps due to complex interactions of VTCs with blood components, which dictate VTC transport and adhesion to endothelial cells. This review focuses on VTC interaction with blood as well as novel 'bio-inspired' designs to mimic and exploit features of blood in VTC development. Advanced approaches for enhancing VTCs are discussed along with applications in regenerative medicine, an area of massive potential growth and expansion of VTC utility in the near future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel J Sobczynski
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor MI, USA 48109
| | - Margaret B Fish
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor MI, USA 48109
| | - Catherine A Fromen
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor MI, USA 48109
| | - Mariana Carasco-Teja
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor MI, USA 48109
| | - Rhima M Coleman
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA 48109
| | - Omolola Eniola-Adefeso
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor MI, USA 48109
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA 48109
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Wang K, Wang D, Ji K, Chen W, Zheng Y, Dai C, Wang B. Post-synthesis DNA modifications using a trans-cyclooctene click handle. Org Biomol Chem 2015; 13:909-15. [PMID: 25407744 PMCID: PMC4377304 DOI: 10.1039/c4ob02031f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
Post-synthesis DNA modification is a very useful method for DNA functionalization. This is achieved by using a modified NTP, which has a handle for further modifications, replacing the corresponding natural NTP in polymerase-catalyzed DNA synthesis. Subsequently, the handle can be used for further functionalization after PCR, preferably through a very fast reaction. Herein we describe polymerase-mediated incorporation of trans-cyclooctene modified thymidine triphosphate (TCO-TTP). Subsequently, the trans-cyclooctene group was reacted with a tetrazine tethered to other functional groups through a very fast click reaction. The utility of this DNA functionalization method was demonstrated with the incorporation of a boronic acid group and a fluorophore. The same approach was also successfully used in modifying a known aptamer for fluorescent labelling applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ke Wang
- Department of Chemistry, Center for Diagnostics and Therapeutics, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA 30302-3965, USA.
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Highly sensitive and quantitative human thrombospondin-1 detection by an M55 aptasensor and clinical validation in patients with atherosclerotic disease. Biosens Bioelectron 2013; 55:405-11. [PMID: 24434496 DOI: 10.1016/j.bios.2013.12.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2013] [Revised: 12/02/2013] [Accepted: 12/03/2013] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Aptamer-based biosensors (aptasensor) are powerful tools for rapid and sensitive biomarker detection. In this study, we report a DNA aptamer probe evolved from cell-SELEX that can recognize thrombospondin-1 protein in human plasma samples. The KD value of the aptamer M55 binding to thrombospondin-1 was determined as 0.5 ± 0.2 μM with an R(2) of 0.9144. A horseradish peroxidase-linked short oligo was complementarily bound onto the 3' end of the aptamer sequence to facilitate the 'smart' design of an M55-aptasensor for quantifying thrombospondin-1 protein in plasma samples. The limit of detection was 6.96 fM. Thrombospondin-1 is a glycoprotein with multiple biological functions, including inflammation, platelet aggregation and endothelial cell apoptosis, and is involved in the pathology of atherosclerosis. In total, 118 plasma subjects were analyzed by using the aptasensor measurement with 1 μL sample volume and 5 min incubation time. The thrombospondin-1 concentrations in ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction patients with severe atherosclerotic plaque burden were statistically significantly higher than in the healthy volunteers without atherosclerosis conditions, suggesting that thromboposnidn-1 is a potential plasma biomarker for atherosclerosis progression.
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