What clinical use aptamers may have?
In the clinic, aptamers may be used to enhance the antigenicity of disseminated tumors, leading to their immune recognition and rejection; to target HPV16 E7 oncoprotein, inhibiting cell proliferation and activating apoptosis of infected cells; to act as inhibitors for targets such as VEGF, in age-related macular degeneration, and thrombin, or von Willebrand factor, in patients with acute coronary syndromes; to target the RNase H domain of the HIV-1 reverse transcriptase and inhibit viral replication; to transfect and activate B cells in human chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL); or finally, to be used as probes in CD4-cell phenotyping.