Aptamers for diagnostic marker and therapeutic inhibitor discovery in infectious diseases

• Grant number: 12/50393-6
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: December 01, 2012
• End date: May 31, 2015
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Parasitology
• Principal Investigator: Alexander Henning Ulrich
• Grantee: Alexander Henning Ulrich
• Host Institution: Instituto de Química (IQ). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

DNA aptamers interact with their target proteins with high selectivity, specificity and affinity. Iterative cycles of in vitro screening of a combinatorial oligonucleotide library for target binding (SELEX) followed by PCR amplification of selected sequences can be developed to target almost any protein. Due to the wide spectrum of applications, these novel molecules are used in numerous pharmacological, clinical and industrial processes. While the technique is yet emerging in Brazil, it is widely used for academic and industrial applications in most industrialized countries. The aim of the proposed Brazilian-German joint project is the application to exploit the SELEX technology in targeting organisms causing parasitic diseases including Plasmodium falciparum, Onchocerca volvolus and Trypanosoma cruzi. The evolved high-affinity DNA aptamers will be used for ligand-mediated target purification of parasite proteins. Inhibition assays will elucidate the effects of aptamer target protein binding. The importance of P. falciparum proteins, identified by aptamers in the erythrocyte cell membrane, will be further studied in protein trafficking and proliferation assays. Knock-out constructs of these proteins are foreseen to evaluate identified proteins on its viability for the parasite. In addition to creating scientific knowledge this project will active continuous exchange of scientists and students with the intention of creating a long-lasting research network. Moreover, since therapeutic applications are foreseen for most of the developed aptamers, these are intended to be commercialized within the translational framework of a "Public Private Partnership". (AU)

Scientific publications

(6)

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

MENCIN, NINA; SMUC, TINA; VRANICAR, MARKO; MAVRI, JAN; HREN, MATJAZ; GALESA, KATJA; KRKOC, PETER; ULRICH, HENNING; SOLAR, BORUT. Optimization of SELEX: Comparison of different methods for monitoring the progress of in vitro selection of aptamers. Journal of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Analysis, v. 91, p. 151-159, MAR 25 2014. (12/50393-6, 12/50880-4)

SMUC, TINA; AHN, IL-YOUNG; ULRICH, HENNING. Nucleic acid aptamers as high affinity ligands in biotechnology and biosensorics. Journal of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Analysis, v. 81-82, p. 210-217, JUL-AUG 2013. (12/50393-6, 06/61285-9, 12/50880-4)

LINZKE, MARLEEN; YAN, SUN LIU REI; TARNOK, ATTILA; ULRICH, HENNING; GROVES, MATTHEW R.; WRENGER, CARSTEN. Live and Let Dye: Visualizing the Cellular Compartments of the Malaria Parasite Plasmodium falciparum. Cytometry Part A, v. 97, n. 7, p. 12-pg., 2019-11-18. (17/03966-4, 12/50880-4, 14/23330-9, 12/50393-6, 17/26358-0, 15/26722-8)

LINZKE, MARLEEN; YAN, SUN LIU REI; TARNOK, ATTILA; ULRICH, HENNING; GROVES, MATTHEW R.; WRENGER, CARSTEN. Live and Let Dye: Visualizing the Cellular Compartments of the Malaria Parasite Plasmodium falciparum. Cytometry Part A, v. 97, n. 7, SI, NOV 2019. (12/50880-4, 17/03966-4, 15/26722-8, 14/23330-9, 17/26358-0, 12/50393-6)

ZIMBRES, FLAVIA M.; TARNOK, ATTILA; ULRICH, HENNING; WRENGER, CARSTEN. Aptamers: Novel Molecules as Diagnostic Markers in Bacterial and Viral Infections?. BIOMED RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL, 2013. (09/54325-2, 12/50393-6, 11/19703-6, 10/20647-0)

ZIMBRES, FLAVIA M.; TARNOK, ATTILA; ULRICH, HENNING; WRENGER, CARSTEN. Aptamers: Novel Molecules as Diagnostic Markers in Bacterial and Viral Infections?. BIOMED RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL, v. 2013, p. 7-pg., 2013-01-01. (11/19703-6, 10/20647-0, 12/50393-6, 09/54325-2)