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Challenges and Opportunities in the Development of Aptamers for TNFα

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Abstract

RNA aptamers for tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNFα), for which functionality was demonstrated in L929 cells, show only little affinity for the protein in vitro. Detailed investigation of the aptamer-protein interaction by surface plasmon resonance and quartz crystal microbalance analysis revealed that affinity is not the only crucial parameter for efficacy and functionality of those aptamers. Instead, the sensitive equilibrium of the monomeric and homotrimeric form of soluble TNFα decides on aptamer binding. Our results show that the field of application and the source of TNFα have to be carefully defined before selection of aptamer sequences.

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Author notes

  1. Ingeborg Hospach

    Present address: Institute of Electronics and Sensor Materials, Technical University Freiberg, Freiberg, Germany

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institut für Biochemie, Ernst-Moritz-Arndt Universität Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany

    Claudia Nübel, Bettina Appel & Sabine Müller

  2. Materials Science Laboratory, Sony Deutschland GmbH, Stuttgart, Germany

    Ingeborg Hospach, Michaela Mai, Nadejda Krasteva & Gabriele Nelles

  3. Interfakultäres Institut für Genetik und funktionelle Genomforschung, Ernst-Moritz-Arndt Universität Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany

    Lothar Petruschka

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  1. Claudia Nübel
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Nübel, C., Appel, B., Hospach, I. et al. Challenges and Opportunities in the Development of Aptamers for TNFα. Appl Biochem Biotechnol 179, 398–414 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12010-016-2002-2

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