Novel Aptamers Selected on Living Cells for Specific Recognition of Triple-Negative Breast Cancer

• Published in: iScience Vol. 23; no. 4; p. 100979
• Main Authors: Camorani, Simona, Granata, Ilaria, Collina, Francesca, Leonetti, Francesco, Cantile, Monica, Botti, Gerardo, Fedele, Monica, Guarracino, Mario Rosario, Cerchia, Laura
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 24.04.2020; Elsevier
• Subjects: Biochemistry; Cancer; Cell Biology; Biochemistry; Cell Biology; Cancer
• ISSN: 2589-0042; 2589-0042
• DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2020.100979

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is a high heterogeneous group of tumors with a distinctly aggressive nature and high rates of relapse. So far, the lack of any known targetable proteins has not allowed a specific anti-tumor treatment. Therefore, the identification of novel agents for specific TNBC targeting and treatment is desperately needed. Here, by integrating cell-SELEX (Systematic Evolution of Ligands by EXponential enrichment) for the specific recognition of TNBC cells with high-throughput sequencing technology, we identified a panel of 2′-fluoropyrimidine-RNA aptamers binding to TNBC cells and their cisplatin- and doxorubicin-resistant derivatives at low nanomolar affinity. These aptamers distinguish TNBC cells from both non-malignant and non-TNBC breast cancer cells and are able to differentiate TNBC histological specimens. Importantly, they inhibit TNBC cell capacity of growing in vitro as mammospheres, indicating they could also act as anti-tumor agents. Therefore, our newly identified aptamers are a valuable tool for selectively dealing with TNBC. [Display omitted] •Six 2′FPy-RNA aptamers were obtained by TNBC Cell-SELEX/NGS•They distinguish TNBC cells from non-malignant and non-TNBC breast cancer cells•They differentiate TNBC histological specimens by aptamer-based staining•They inhibit TNBC cell lines capacity of growing in vitro as mammospheres Biochemistry; Cell Biology; Cancer