This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
Aptamers have emerged as versatile and powerful tools in the fields of therapeutics and diagnostics. These molecules are single-stranded nucleic acids—either DNA or RNA—that fold into unique three-dimensional structures, allowing them to selectively bind to target molecules with high affinity and specificity. They can be identified through an iterative selection process called SELEX (Systematic Evolution of Ligands by EXponential enrichment).
In the therapeutic domain, aptamers have exhibited tremendous potential, particularly in the development of targeted drug delivery systems. Their ability to specifically recognize and inhibit different type of targets have provided efficient therapeutic payloads directly to the affected cells or tissues, minimizing off-target effects and enhancing the overall treatment efficacy.
On the other hand, aptamers play a pivotal role in diagnostics, offering a robust alternative to traditional detection methods. Their high specificity allows for the precise identification of biomarkers associated with various diseases, facilitating early and accurate diagnosis. Many studies have been carried out using aptamer-based diagnostic platforms based on electrochemical and optical biosensors for the detection of several biomarkers. The rapid and sensitive nature of aptamer-based diagnostics not only expedites the diagnostic process, but also contributes to the development of personalized medicine strategies.
In this context, the aim of the present Research Topic is to highlight recent advances in the use of Nucleic Acid-Based Aptamers in Therapeutics and Diagnostics. Four articles have been selected for publication in this issue, most of which describe diagnostics assays. In their work,
The development of a biosensor for the real-time detection of bacteria is the objective of the work by
In turn,
Finally, the detection of lung cancer typing markers is proposed by
In summary, nucleic acid-based aptamers have revolutionized the therapeutic and diagnostic landscape. Their remarkable binding properties, coupled with the ability to target specific molecules, hold great promise for the precise diagnosis and targeted treatment of various diseases. In this context, we hope that the articles collected within the present Research Topic represent a excellent contribution to those fields.
AA: Writing–review and editing. CF: Writing–review and editing. RG: Writing–original draft, Writing–review and editing. SM: Writing–review and editing. CR: Writing–review and editing.
The author(s) declare that no financial support was received for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.
The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.
All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article, or claim that may be made by its manufacturer, is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.