Measuring voltammetry for aptamer-based sensors is a further application. These
sensors use various materials as the sensors base, like graphene nanocomposites or
carbon electrodes or other nanohybrids, but often use a layer of AuNPs on top for
aptamer conjugation. Due to target binding to the aptamer, the electrodes measure
changes in cyclic voltammetry, differential pulse voltammetry, or square wave
voltammetry [65–67].
2.3 Cell Detection with Aptamer-Modified Nanoparticles
The assays and biosensors described in the previous sections allow the detection of
small molecules or proteins. But detection of whole cells is also possible.
Specific ligands on the cell membrane can be targeted by the aptamers [68–
76]. Mainly assays targeting bacterial cells or human cancer cells have been
described so far.
Table 3 gives an overview of different methods for cell detection with aptamermodified nanoparticles.
3 Aptamer-Modified Nanoparticles for Therapeutic
Applications
Besides analytical and diagnostic applications, aptamer-modified nanoparticles are
also a promising approach for treatment of different diseases like cancer,
Alzheimer’s disease, or blood-clotting disorders [19, 79, 80]. Due to their size,
nanoparticles cannot penetrate the vasculature of healthy tissues. Thus nanoparticles
Table 3 Cell detection methods with aptamer-modified nanoparticles
Setup
Target
Nanoparticle
Reference
Electrochemical, H 2 O 2 reduction A549 lung cancer
cells
Gold NPs
[68]
Fluorescence and magnetic
separation
HER2 and MUC1
breast cancer cells
Silica NPs
[77]
Light scattering with plasma
mass spectrometry
Hs578T breast cancer cells
Gold NPs
[70]
Paper-based
electrochemiluminescence
electrode
MCF-7 breast cancer
cells
Gold NPs
[71]
Electroluminescence
HL-60 (cancer) cells Gold NPs
[78]
Fluorescence – flow cytometry
Leukemia cells
Fluorescent silica NPs
[73]
Dual-recognition units based on
FRET
Staphylococcus
aureus
Gold NPs
[74]
Magnetically assisted surfaceenhanced Raman scattering
Staphylococcus
aureus
Superparamagnetic ferrite NPs, gold NPs
[75]
Electrochemical impedance
spectroscopy
Salmonella
typhimurium
Gold NPs
[76]
Aptamer-Modified Nanoparticles in Medical Applications
171
sensors use various materials as the sensors base, like graphene nanocomposites or
carbon electrodes or other nanohybrids, but often use a layer of AuNPs on top for
aptamer conjugation. Due to target binding to the aptamer, the electrodes measure
changes in cyclic voltammetry, differential pulse voltammetry, or square wave
voltammetry [65–67].
2.3 Cell Detection with Aptamer-Modified Nanoparticles
The assays and biosensors described in the previous sections allow the detection of
small molecules or proteins. But detection of whole cells is also possible.
Specific ligands on the cell membrane can be targeted by the aptamers [68–
76]. Mainly assays targeting bacterial cells or human cancer cells have been
described so far.
Table 3 gives an overview of different methods for cell detection with aptamermodified nanoparticles.
3 Aptamer-Modified Nanoparticles for Therapeutic
Applications
Besides analytical and diagnostic applications, aptamer-modified nanoparticles are
also a promising approach for treatment of different diseases like cancer,
Alzheimer’s disease, or blood-clotting disorders [19, 79, 80]. Due to their size,
nanoparticles cannot penetrate the vasculature of healthy tissues. Thus nanoparticles
Table 3 Cell detection methods with aptamer-modified nanoparticles
Setup
Target
Nanoparticle
Reference
Electrochemical, H 2 O 2 reduction A549 lung cancer
cells
Gold NPs
[68]
Fluorescence and magnetic
separation
HER2 and MUC1
breast cancer cells
Silica NPs
[77]
Light scattering with plasma
mass spectrometry
Hs578T breast cancer cells
Gold NPs
[70]
Paper-based
electrochemiluminescence
electrode
MCF-7 breast cancer
cells
Gold NPs
[71]
Electroluminescence
HL-60 (cancer) cells Gold NPs
[78]
Fluorescence – flow cytometry
Leukemia cells
Fluorescent silica NPs
[73]
Dual-recognition units based on
FRET
Staphylococcus
aureus
Gold NPs
[74]
Magnetically assisted surfaceenhanced Raman scattering
Staphylococcus
aureus
Superparamagnetic ferrite NPs, gold NPs
[75]
Electrochemical impedance
spectroscopy
Salmonella
typhimurium
Gold NPs
[76]
Aptamer-Modified Nanoparticles in Medical Applications
171