Targeting of the HPV-16 E7 protein by RNA aptamers.

Julia Dolores Toscano-Garibay, María Luisa Benítez-Hess, Luis Marat Alvarez-Salas

Methods in molecular biology (Clifton, N.J.) 2015

filter terms:

The expression of high-risk human papillomavirus E6 and E7 proteins in most cervical tumors raised a considerable interest in the diagnostic and therapeutic applications of functional oligonucleotides (i.e., DNAzymes, ribozymes, and aptamers) directed against HPV targets. Aptamers are short single-stranded oligonucleotides that specifically recognize a wide variety of molecular targets, including HPV proteins. Here, we describe a protocol for the successful isolation of RNA aptamers directed at the recombinant HPV-16 E7 protein through the application of the SELEX method. Once the nucleic acid sequence of a functional aptamer is determined, large amounts of the oligonucleotide can be produced and modified at low cost and high efficiency. The remarkable affinity and specificity of aptamers for their targets make these molecules the next-generation tool for diagnostics and therapeutics of cervical cancer.

Citation

Julia Dolores Toscano-Garibay, María Luisa Benítez-Hess, Luis Marat Alvarez-Salas. Targeting of the HPV-16 E7 protein by RNA aptamers. Methods in molecular biology (Clifton, N.J.). 2015;1249:221-39