Aptamers as Versatile Ligands for Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Applications

Abstract

Baozhang Guan,1 Xingwang Zhang2 1Department of Nephrology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou 510630, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Pharmaceutics, College of Pharmacy, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Xingwang ZhangDepartment of Pharmaceutics, College of Pharmacy, Jinan University, 601 West Huangpu Avenue, Guangzhou 510632, People’s Republic of ChinaEmail [email protected]: Aptamers are a class of targeting ligands that bind exclusively to biomarkers of interest. Aptamers have been identified as candidates for the construction of various smart systems for therapy, diagnosis, bioimaging, and drug delivery due to their high target affinity and specificity. Aptamers are accounted as chemical antibodies that can be readily linked to drugs, sensors, signal enhancers, or nanocarriers for functionalization. Use of aptamer-guided medications, especially nanomedicines, has resulted in encouraging outcomes compared to those use of aptamer-free counterparts. This article reviews recent advances in the use of aptamers as targeting ligands for various biomedical and pharmaceutical purposes. Special interests focus on aptamer-based theranostics, biosensing, bioimaging, drug potentiation, and targeted drug delivery.Keywords: aptamer, theranostics, biosensor, biomedical imaging, drug delivery

Keywords

• aptamer
• theranostics
• biosensor
• biomedical imaging
• drug delivery