Chapter 11
Hormone Aptamers
in Endocrine-Related Diseases
Yan Cheng and Hongyan Jin
Abstract Hormones play an essential role in our daily physiological activities such
as excretion, digestion, metabolism, stress, growth, and development. The level of
hormones can significantly affect our physical status and behavior. In human body,
the level of hormone maintains a dynamic balance and has been proved to be critical
indicator of functions of tissues and organisms. Endocrine disorder can give rise to a
lot of severe consequences. Therefore, it is crucial to monitor the level of hormones in
the body. Aptamers are short synthetic single-stranded nucleic acid sequences. They
are generated by SELEX, systematic evolution of ligands by exponential enrichment,
an in vitro selection experiment. Unlike nucleic acids derived from biological sources,
aptamers will not sacrifice the specificity of ligand binding in exchange for additional
functions, and can bind to multiple different targets, such as metal ions, chemical
compounds, proteins, cells, and whole microorganisms. Aptamers are also different
from antibodies. They can be easily obtained by chemical methods to extend their life
in biological fluids and their bioavailability in animals. Due to their characteristics
of binding ligand molecules with high affinity and specificity, aptamers can be used
to detect or isolate specific molecules, as well as to act as targeting and therapeutic
agents. In this review, we aim to focus on the biological applications of aptamers
associating with different hormones.
Keywords Aptamers · Endocrine-related diseases · Estrogen · Progesterone ·
Insulin · 25-Hydroxy vitamin D3 · Cortisol
11.1 Introduction
In 1990, two independent groups successfully isolated single-strand DNA and RNA
molecules, which could bind tightly to several target molecules through in vitro
selection methods [1, 2]. Since then, the Systematic Evolution of Ligands by Exponential Enrichment (SELEX) process emerged. Nucleic acid aptamers are defined as
Y. Cheng · H. Jin (B)
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Peking University First Hospital,
No. 8 Xishiku Street, Beijing 100034, China
e-mail: maggijhy@163.com
© Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2021
Y. Dong (ed.), Aptamers for Medical Applications,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-33-4838-7_11
319
Hormone Aptamers
in Endocrine-Related Diseases
Yan Cheng and Hongyan Jin
Abstract Hormones play an essential role in our daily physiological activities such
as excretion, digestion, metabolism, stress, growth, and development. The level of
hormones can significantly affect our physical status and behavior. In human body,
the level of hormone maintains a dynamic balance and has been proved to be critical
indicator of functions of tissues and organisms. Endocrine disorder can give rise to a
lot of severe consequences. Therefore, it is crucial to monitor the level of hormones in
the body. Aptamers are short synthetic single-stranded nucleic acid sequences. They
are generated by SELEX, systematic evolution of ligands by exponential enrichment,
an in vitro selection experiment. Unlike nucleic acids derived from biological sources,
aptamers will not sacrifice the specificity of ligand binding in exchange for additional
functions, and can bind to multiple different targets, such as metal ions, chemical
compounds, proteins, cells, and whole microorganisms. Aptamers are also different
from antibodies. They can be easily obtained by chemical methods to extend their life
in biological fluids and their bioavailability in animals. Due to their characteristics
of binding ligand molecules with high affinity and specificity, aptamers can be used
to detect or isolate specific molecules, as well as to act as targeting and therapeutic
agents. In this review, we aim to focus on the biological applications of aptamers
associating with different hormones.
Keywords Aptamers · Endocrine-related diseases · Estrogen · Progesterone ·
Insulin · 25-Hydroxy vitamin D3 · Cortisol
11.1 Introduction
In 1990, two independent groups successfully isolated single-strand DNA and RNA
molecules, which could bind tightly to several target molecules through in vitro
selection methods [1, 2]. Since then, the Systematic Evolution of Ligands by Exponential Enrichment (SELEX) process emerged. Nucleic acid aptamers are defined as
Y. Cheng · H. Jin (B)
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Peking University First Hospital,
No. 8 Xishiku Street, Beijing 100034, China
e-mail: maggijhy@163.com
© Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2021
Y. Dong (ed.), Aptamers for Medical Applications,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-33-4838-7_11
319