Goh Khang Wen, Stephen Annatasha, Wu Yuan Seng, Sim Maw Shin, Batumalaie Kalaivani, Gopinath Subash C B, Guad Rhanye Mac, Kumar Ashok, Sekar Mahendran, Subramaniyan Vetriselvan, Fuloria Neeraj Kumar, Fuloria Shivkanya, Velaga Appalaraju, Sarker Md Moklesur Rahman
Faculty of Data Science and Information Technology, INTI International University, 71800 Nilai, Malaysia.
Department of Pharmaceutical Life Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur 50603, Malaysia.
J Cancer. 2023 Aug 6;14(13):2491-2516. doi: 10.7150/jca.85260. eCollection 2023.
Gastrointestinal (GI) cancers are among the most common cancers that impact the global population, with high mortality and low survival rates after breast and lung cancers. Identifying useful molecular targets in GI cancers are crucial for improving diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment outcomes, however, limited by poor targeting and drug delivery system. Aptamers are often utilized in the field of biomarkers identification, targeting, and as a drug/inhibitor delivery cargo. Their natural and chemically modifiable binding capability, high affinity, and specificity are favored over antibodies and potential early diagnostic imaging and drug delivery applications. Studies have demonstrated the use of different aptamers as drug delivery agents and early molecular diagnostic and detection probes for treating cancers. This review aims to first describe aptamers' generation, characteristics, and classifications, also providing insights into their recent applications in the diagnosis and medical imaging, prognosis, and anticancer drug delivery system of GI cancers. Besides, it mainly discussed the relevant molecular targets and associated molecular mechanisms involved, as well as their applications for potential treatments for GI cancers. In addition, the current applications of aptamers in a clinical setting to treat GI cancers are deciphered. In conclusion, aptamers are multifunctional molecules that could be effectively used as an anticancer agent or drug delivery system for treating GI cancers and deserve further investigations for clinical applications.
胃肠道（GI）癌是影响全球人口的最常见癌症之一，其死亡率高，在乳腺癌和肺癌之后生存率低。确定胃肠道癌中有用的分子靶点对于改善诊断、预后和治疗结果至关重要，然而，受到靶向性差和药物递送系统的限制。适体常用于生物标志物识别、靶向领域，并作为药物/抑制剂递送载体。与抗体相比，它们天然的和可化学修饰的结合能力、高亲和力和特异性更受青睐，并且具有潜在的早期诊断成像和药物递送应用前景。研究已经证明使用不同的适体作为药物递送剂以及用于治疗癌症的早期分子诊断和检测探针。本综述旨在首先描述适体的产生、特征和分类，还将深入探讨它们最近在胃肠道癌的诊断、医学成像、预后以及抗癌药物递送系统中的应用。此外，主要讨论了相关的分子靶点和涉及的相关分子机制，以及它们在胃肠道癌潜在治疗中的应用。此外，还解读了适体现阶段在临床环境中治疗胃肠道癌的应用情况。总之，适体是多功能分子，可以有效地用作治疗胃肠道癌的抗癌剂或药物递送系统，值得进一步开展临床应用研究。
