RNA and DNA aptamers as potential tools to prevent cell adhesion in disease

Autor(es)

H. Ulrich ^[1] ; M.J.M. Alves ^[2] ; W. Colli ^[3]

Afiliação do(s) autor(es)

^[1] Universidade de São Paulo. Instituto de Química. Departamento de Bioquímica - Brasil

^[2] Universidade de São Paulo. Instituto de Química. Departamento de Bioquímica - Brasil

^[3] Universidade de São Paulo. Instituto de Química. Departamento de Bioquímica - Brasil

• Tipo de documento: Artigo Científico
• Fonte: Brazilian Journal of Medical and Biological Research; v. 34, n. 3, p. 295-300, 2001-03-00.

Resumo

Recent research has shown that receptor-ligand interactions between surfaces of communicating cells are necessary prerequisites for cell proliferation, cell differentiation and immune defense. Cell-adhesion events have also been proposed for pathological conditions such as cancer growth, metastasis, and host-cell invasion by parasites such as Trypanosoma cruzi. RNA and DNA aptamers (aptus = Latin, fit) that have been selected from combinatorial nucleic acid libraries are capable of binding to cell-adhesion receptors leading to a halt in cellular processes induced by outside signals as a consequence of blockage of receptor-ligand interactions. We outline here a novel approach using RNA aptamers that bind to T. cruzi receptors and interrupt host-cell invasion in analogy to existing procedures of blocking selectin adhesion and function in vitro and in vivo. (AU)

• Processo FAPESP: 99/12459-9 - Trypanosoma cruzi: interação parasita-célula hospedeira
• Beneficiário: Maria Julia Manso Alves
• Modalidade de apoio: Auxílio à Pesquisa - Temático