Selection of internalizing RNA aptamers into human breast cancer cells derived from primary sites

• Published in: Journal of cellular biochemistry Vol. 125; no. 4; pp. e30540 - n/a
• Main Authors: Cunha, Pricila da Silva, Miranda, Marcelo Coutinho, Melo, Mariane Izabella Abreu, Ferreira, Andrea da Fonseca, Barbosa, Joana Lobato, Oliveira, Junnia Alvarenga de Carvalho, Goes, Tércio de Souza, Gomes, Dawidson Assis, Goes, Alfredo Miranda
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Wiley Subscription Services, Inc 01.04.2024
• Subjects: Aptamers; Aptamers, Nucleotide - genetics; Breast cancer; Breast Neoplasms - drug therapy; Breast Neoplasms - genetics; Cancer; Cell Line, Tumor; Cells; Cell‐Internalization SELEX; Chemotherapy; Confocal microscopy; Female; Humans; Internalization; Localization; MCF-7 Cells; Metastases; Microscopy; Neoplasms; primary site; Prostate cancer; Reverse transcription; RNA aptamers; SELEX Aptamer Technique; theranostic applications; Transcription; Tumor cell lines; Tumors; RNA aptamers; breast cancer; primary site; theranostic applications; Cell‐Internalization SELEX
• ISSN: 0730-2312; 1097-4644; 1097-4644
• DOI: 10.1002/jcb.30540

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women. Although chemotherapy is still broadly used in its treatment, adverse effects remain a challenge. In this scenario, aptamers emerge as a promising alternative for theranostic applications. Studies using breast cancer cell lines provide useful information in laboratory and preclinical investigations, most of which use cell lines established from metastatic sites. However, these cell lines correspond to cell populations of the late stage of tumor progression. On the other hand, studies using breast cancer cells established from primary sites make it possible to search for new theranostic approaches in the early stages of the disease. Therefore, this work aimed to select RNA aptamers internalized by MGSO‐3 cells, a human breast cancer cell line, derived from a primary site previously established in our laboratory. Using the Cell‐Internalization SELEX method, we have selected two candidate aptamers (ApBC1 and ApBC2). We evaluated their internalization efficiencies, specificities, cellular localization by Reverse Transcription‐qPCR (RT‐qPCR) and confocal microscopy assays. The results suggest that both aptamers were efficiently internalized by human breast cancer cells, MACL‐1, MDA‐MB‐231, and especially by MGSO‐3 cells. Furthermore, both aptamers could effectively distinguish human breast cancer cells derived from normal human mammary cell (MCF 10A) and prostate cancer cell (PC3) lines. Therefore, ApBC1 and ApBC2 could be promising candidate molecules for theranostic applications, even in the early stages of tumor progression.