Alpha-thiol deoxynucleotide triphosphates (S-dNTPs) as radioprotective agents: A novel approach.

In this study, the ability of a mixture of four different alpha-thiol deoxynucleotide triphosphates (S-dNTPs) each at a concentration of 10µM when incorporated into the genomic DNA of proliferating human HL-60 and Mono-Mac-6 (MM-6) cells in vitro to provide protection from 2, 5, and 10 Gy of gamma radiation was investigated. Incorporation of the four different S-dNTPs into nuclear DNA at 10 µM concentration for five days was validated by agarose gel electrophoretic band shift analysis. S-dNTP-treated genomic DNA reacted with BODIPY-iodoacetamide demonstrated a band shift to higher molecular weight to confirm the presence of sulfur moieties in the resultant phosphorothioate DNA backbones. No overt signs of toxicity or obvious morphologic cellular differentiation were noted in the presence of 10 µM S-dNTPs even after 8 days in culture. Significantly reduced radiation-induced persistent DNA damage measured at 24 and 48 h post-exposure by γ-H2AX histone phosphorylation using FACS analysis in S-dNTP incorporated HL-60 and MM6 cells indicated protection against radiation-induced direct and indirect DNA damage. Statistically significant protection by S-dNTPs was noted at the cellular level by CellEvent™ Caspase-3/7 assay, which assess the extent of apoptotic events, and by trypan blue dye exclusion to assed cell viability. The results appear to support an innocuous antioxidant thiol radioprotective effect built into genomic DNA backbones as the last line of defense against ionizing radiation and free radical-induced DNA damage.

Advancements in Rapid and Affordable Diagnostic Testing for Respiratory Infectious Diseases: Evaluation of Aptamer Beacon Technology for Rapid and Sensitive Detection of SAR-CoV-2 in Breath Condensate.

The demand for rapid and efficient diagnostic point-of-care tests for respiratory infectious diseases has become increasingly critical in the current landscape. The emphasis on accessibility has been underscored over the past year, making it crucial to have biological components that exhibit fast and accurate kinetics. The foundation for precise, swift, and effective testing relies on the availability of highly responsive biological agents. Two published aptamer DNA sequences designated Song and MSA52 and their truncated internal stem-loop structures were studied for their potential to serve as aptamer beacons for rapid COVID detection. The candidate beacons were covalently labeled with Atto 633 dye attached to their 5' ends and Iowa Black quencher attached to their 3' ends. The whole aptamer structures exhibited the greatest fluorescence signal intensities and higher fluorescence background than their truncated internal stem-loop beacon structures suggesting that the distance between fluorophores and quenchers was greater for the whole aptamer beacon candidates versus the isolated stem-loop structures. Beacon candidates were tested against two heat- or gamma radiation-killed SARS-CoV-2 Washington 1/2020 virus samples and three different COVID spike (S) proteins to test their effectiveness. Despite the higher background fluorescence, the whole aptamer beacons showed better signal-to-noise ratios and were selected for further investigation. Limit of detection (LOD) studies revealed that both the whole Song and whole MSA52 aptamer beacon candidates had a LOD of 9.61 × 103 genome equivalents in phosphate-buffered saline using the red channel of a Promega Quantus™ fluorometer which correlated well with confirmatory spectrofluorometry. Cross-reactivity studies using numerous COVID variants, related coronaviruses, and other common respiratory pathogens suggested greater COVID selectivity for the whole MSA52 versus the whole Song aptamer beacon candidate, indicating promise for specific COVID detection. Importantly, both whole aptamer beacon candidates exhibited very rapid "bind and detect" fluorescence increases within the first 1-2 min of mixing the beacons with killed SARS-CoV-2 viruses in 100 µl samples. Overall, this work illustrates the strong potential for aptamer beacons for rapid, on-site detection and presumptive diagnosis of COVID in breath condensates or other small liquid samples. This research highlights the strong potential of aptamer beacons for addressing the need for fast and convenient diagnostic tools in global health contexts, especially in resource-limited settings.

DNA Aptamer-Based Staining and Fluorescence Microscopy for Rapid Detection of Cyclospora Cayetanensis Oocysts.

There are no commercial antibodies for detection of Cyclospora cayetanensis, only a relatively slow polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). However, DNA aptamers have recently been developed by our group against known proteins and whole oocysts of C. cayetanensis and shown to specifically detect the oocysts when attached on their 5' ends to red-emitting fluorophores and used as probes for fluorescence microscopy. Aptamers developed against recombinant wall protein 2 and TA4 antigen-like protein as well as whole oocysts specifically stained C. cayetanensis oocysts while exhibiting little, if any, staining of numerous other waterborne parasite species. Interestingly, the aptamers stained both exterior cell wall moieties and internal structures, suggesting that the aptamers penetrate the oocysts even without added detergents.

Successes and Failures of Static Aptamer-Target 3D Docking Models.

While Molecular Dynamics simulation programs are probably superior for predicting the binding and affinity of aptamers and their cognate ligands, such molecular dynamics programs require more computing power and analysis time than static docking programs that are more widely accessible to the scientific community on the internet. Static docking programs can be used to investigate the geometric fit of rigid DNA or RNA aptamer 3D structures and their ligands to aid in predicting the relative affinities and cross-reactivity of various potential ligands. Herein, the author describes when such static 3D docking analysis has worked well to produce useful predictions or confirmation of high-affinity aptamer interactions or successful aptamer beacon behavior and when it has not worked well. The analysis of why failures may occur with static 3D computer models is also discussed.

A Combined Immunofluorescence and Fluorescent Viability Cocktail Staining Procedure for Rapid Microscopic Detection and Enumeration of Live Legionella pneumophila.

This report describes a combined immunofluorescence and fluorescence viability stain applied as one staining solution for rapid detection of live Legionella pneumophila in mixed bacterial populations. Instead of sequential viability staining with the Invitrogen BacLight LIVE/DEAD staining kit followed by antibody-Alexa Fluor (AF) 647 conjugate staining to identify live L. pneumophila, a combined single cocktail solution staining protocol was developed to simplify and accelerate the time to detection of viable L. pneumophila serogroup-1 (SG-1) in mixed species populations on a filter membrane. The stain cocktail will aid in accelerating fluorescence microscopic analysis of cooling tower, air conditioner and water fountain or other liquid samples for the presence of L. pneumophila and its viability status. Visibly red stained cells were identified as dead non-L. pneumophila SG-1 cells, while green fluorescing cells represented viable non-L. pneumophila SG-1 cells. Due to also staining red with antibody-AF 647, L. pneumophila SG-1 cells were pseudocolorized as blue to distinguish them from other dead cells. Fluorescence color emission mixing from the viability dyes (SYTO 9 and propidium iodide) with antibody-AF 647 stained L. pneumophila led to other fluorescent colors. For example, green plus pseudocolorized blue AF 647-antibody- labeled cells were identified as live cyan-colored L. pneumophila SG-1 cells. Magenta-colored cells resulted from dead L. pneumophila cells that combined red propidium iodide with blue pseudocolorized AF 647-antibody emissions. Analysis of measured RGB (red, green, blue) color values in microscopic images of mixed bacterial populations suggests the possibility of facile automated discrimination of subpopulations of live and dead L. pneumophila and non-L. pneumophila species by computers in 3-dimensional RGB color space after staining in the combined cocktail which will save time for more rapid microscopic detection of potential sources of Legionnaire's disease.

Integration of multiple computer modeling software programs for characterization of a brain natriuretic peptide sandwich DNA aptamer complex.

Several molecular modeling programs including Pep-Fold 3, Vienna RNA, RNA Composer, Avogadro, PatchDock, RasMol, and VMD were used to define the three-dimensional and basic binding characteristics of an extant sandwich DNA aptamer assay complex for human brain natriuretic peptide (BNP). In particular, the theoretical question of demonstrating likely binding of 72 base capture and reporter aptamers to at least two separate "epitopes" or binding sites on the small 32-amino acid BNP target was addressed, and the data support the existence of separate aptamer binding sites on BNP. The binding model was based on first docking BNP to the capture aptamer based on shape complementarity with PatchDock, followed by docking the capture aptamer-BNP complex with the reporter aptamer in PatchDock. Although, shape complementarity clearly dominated this binding model and aptamers are known to be somewhat flexible, the model demonstrates hydrogen bond stabilization within each of the two different aptamers and between the aptamers and the BNP target, thus suggesting a strong binding and high affinity sandwich assay that matches the author's former published assay results (Bruno et al., Microchem. J. 2014;115:32-38) with subpicogram per milliliter sensitivity and good specificity. Other aspects such as capture and reporter aptamer interactions in the absence of BNP are illustrated and suggest means for potentially improving the existing assay by truncating the capture and reporter aptamers where they overlap to further decrease background signal levels.

Beacons Contribute Valuable Empirical Information to Theoretical 3-D Aptamer-Peptide Binding.

DNA aptamers were developed against five different peptides from the known binding regions of anti-Cytomegalovirus and anti-Herpes Simplex Virus-2 antibodies and the aptamers were ranked by relative affinity based on an ELISA-like (ELASA) microplate assay. The secondary structures of the top five highest affinity aptamers were studied for stem-loop commonalities and the most probable peptide binding sites. Two of these stem-loop structures were converted into beacons by addition of TYE 665 dye on the 5' end and Iowa Black quencher on the 3' end. When competed against increasing concentrations of each of the five peptides, only three of the possible ten interactions demonstrated "lights on" fluorescence beacon responses. When modeled by generation of PDB files, after passage through PATCHDOCK and YASARA, two of the aptamer beacon-peptide interactions showed no theoretical evidence of separating the G-C stem-loop region, despite clear empirical evidence of separation of the fluorophore and quencher beyond the Förster distance leading to abundant fluorescence. And in the second beacon's case, YASARA modeling suggested that the beacon was always open despite clear empirical evidence that it was not (no fluorescence response) and only opened in the presence of one of the five peptides. These results are interpreted as a demonstration that 3-dimensional docking software such as PATCHDOCK and YASARA, which are based on rigid receptor-ligand shape complementarity may not reflect the "induced-fit" interactions between aptamers and their cognate targets. Therefore, for the most complete and accurate picture of aptamer-peptide binding, several theoretical and empirical (e.g., beacon fluorescence) analysis methods may be needed.

Long Shelf Life of a Lyophilized DNA Aptamer Beacon Assay.

An aptamer beacon previously developed to detect C-telopeptide (CTx) from human bone collagen breakdown was lyophilized and shown to give a "lights on" concentration-dependent spectral fluorescence response essentially identical to that of the fresh reagent despite storage in a dark dry environment for the past 5.5 years.

Studies of DNA Aptamer OliGreen and PicoGreen Fluorescence Interactions in Buffer and Serum.

Spectrofluorometric and emission peak titration and timed studies of OliGreen (OG) and PicoGreen (PG) were conducted in Tris EDTA (TE) buffer, pooled rat and fetal bovine serum with two different aptamers of 72 and 192 bases in length to determine if OG or PG were suitable for aptamer pharmacokinetic (PK) studies in sera. Results indicated that OG and PG detected the single-stranded (ss) and double-stranded (ds) stem-loop structures of the two aptamers quite well in TE with reliable standard curves having exponential character (or several linear detection regions) up to 1 µg/ml of aptamer DNA with detection limits of ~1 ng/ml. The intensity of OG and PG staining appeared to correlate with the number and percentage of ss and ds bases in each aptamer. OG and PG fluorescence in pooled rat serum or fetal bovine serum (FBS) did not titer as a function of DNA aptamer concentration from 1 µg/ml to 1 ng/ml. This lack of OG or PG aptamer assays in serum is contrary to most published reports of OG or PG assays for ss antisense oligonucleotides, ds PCR amplicons or other types of DNA in serum or plasma. Further studies suggested that the lack of OG and PG assay titration in serum might not be entirely due to aptamer degradation from nucleases in serum since the fluorescence signals in serum appeared relatively stable over time from 30 min to 4 hours. A hypothesis is presented which attributes the inability of OG or PG to assay aptamers in serum to a combination of high blue-green autofluorescence in serum with possible serum nuclease degradation of aptamers over time and the changing aptamer to serum protein ratio coupled to nonspecific binding of serum proteins to aptamers thereby possibly changing aptamer conformations as a function of aptamer concentration during titration experiments.

An acridine orange spore germination fluorescence microscopy versus spectral paradox.

The metachromatic fluorophore acridine orange (AO) has demonstrated green fluorescent staining of dormant Bacillus spores and orange to red staining of transcriptionally active vegetative cells when used in the mid-micoMolar range. Despite the microscopic observation of numerous bright orange to red fluorescent vegetative cells following germination induction, no clear spectral emission peaks > 590 nm have ever been reported for spectrofluorometric analysis involving AO in conjunction with spore germination. This microscopy versus spectrofluorometry paradox is documented in the present report and hypotheses are put forth to explain the very weak spectral changes in the red region which do not appear to correlate with the abundant orange-red fluorescence of nascent vegetative cells seen through the fluorescence microscope.

Development of a fluorescent enzyme-linked DNA aptamer-magnetic bead sandwich assay and portable fluorometer for sensitive and rapid listeria detection.

A fluorescent DNA aptamer-magnetic bead sandwich assay was developed to detect listeriolysin O (LLO) protein from pathogenic Listeria bacteria using a peroxidase-linked system, Amplex Ultra Red (AUR; derivatized resazurin) substrate, and a custom-designed handheld fluorometer. The assay is highly sensitive with demonstrated limits of detection (LODs) in the range of 4 to 61 L. monocytogenes cells or the equivalent LLO produced by 4 to 61 cells on average in separate titration trials. Total assay processing and analysis time was approximately 30 mins. The assay has demonstrated the ability to detect 6 species of Listeria as desired by the USDA's Food Safety Inspection Service (FSIS). The portable system was designed to be used primarily with surface swab samples from fomites, but it can also be used to assess enrichment cultures. The minimal time to detect a positive enrichment culture in our hands from an initial 10 cell inoculum in 200 ml of broth has been 8 h post-incubation at 37 °C in shaker flask cultures. An optional automated magnetic bead assay processing and wash device capable of simultaneously processing 6 samples with low and consistent fluorescence background for higher volume central laboratories is also described.

Predicting the Uncertain Future of Aptamer-Based Diagnostics and Therapeutics.

Despite the great promise of nucleic acid aptamers in the areas of diagnostics and therapeutics for their facile in vitro development, lack of immunogenicity and other desirable properties, few truly successful aptamer-based products exist in the clinical or other markets. Core reasons for these commercial deficiencies probably stem from industrial commitment to antibodies including a huge financial investment in humanized monoclonal antibodies and a general ignorance about aptamers and their performance among the research and development community. Given the early failures of some strong commercial efforts to gain government approval and bring aptamer-based products to market, it may seem that aptamers are doomed to take a backseat to antibodies forever. However, the key advantages of aptamers over antibodies coupled with niche market needs that only aptamers can fill and more recent published data still point to a bright commercial future for aptamers in areas such as infectious disease and cancer diagnostics and therapeutics. As more researchers and entrepreneurs become familiar with aptamers, it seems inevitable that aptamers will at least be considered for expanded roles in diagnostics and therapeutics. This review also examines new aptamer modifications and attempts to predict new aptamer applications that could revolutionize biomedical technology in the future and lead to marketed products.

Development of a fluorescent enzyme-linked DNA aptamer-magnetic bead sandwich assay and portable fluorometer for sensitive and rapid leishmania detection in sandflies.

A fluorescent peroxidase-linked DNA aptamer-magnetic bead sandwich assay is described which detects as little as 100 ng of soluble protein extracted from Leishmania major promastigotes with a high molarity chaotropic salt. Lessons learned during development of the assay are described and elucidate the pros and cons of using fluorescent dyes or nanoparticles and quantum dots versus a more consistent peroxidase-linked Amplex Ultra Red (AUR; similar to resazurin) fluorescence version of the assay. While all versions of the assays were highly sensitive, the AUR-based version exhibited lower variability between tests. We hypothesize that the AUR version of this assay is more consistent, especially at low analyte levels, because the fluorescent product of AUR is liberated into bulk solution and readily detectable while fluorophores attached to the reporter aptamer might occasionally be hidden behind magnetic beads near the detection limit. Conversely, fluorophores could be quenched by nearby beads or other proximal fluorophores on the high end of analyte concentration, if packed into a small area after magnetic collection when an enzyme-linked system is not used. A highly portable and rechargeable battery-operated fluorometer with on board computer and color touchscreen is also described which can be used for rapid (<1 h) and sensitive detection of Leishmania promastigote protein extracts (∼ 100 ng per sample) in buffer or sandfly homogenates for mapping of L. major parasite geographic distributions in wild sandfly populations.

Preliminary Development of a DNA Aptamer-Magnetic Bead Capture Electrochemiluminescence Sandwich Assay for Brain Natriuretic Peptide.

Fifty-two candidate DNA aptamer sequences were selected for binding to the cardiovascular biomarker B-type or brain natriuretic peptide (BNP). Candidate aptamers were screened to rank their relative affinities against BNP by an aptamer-based ELISA-like aptamer microplate assay (ELASA). The highest affinity aptamers from ELASA screening were also paired in all possible combinations and screened for electrochemiluminescence (ECL) assay potential in capture aptamer-magnetic bead and ruthenium trisbipyridine (Ru(bpy)32+)-reporter aptamer sandwich formats. The top ECL sandwich combinations utilized the same aptamer pair in either capture or reporting roles with nanogram to low picogram per mL levels of detection even in 50% human serum. ECL assay sensitivity and linearity even in 50% human serum suggest that the aptamer-based assay is at least comparable to other reported immunoassays for BNP.

Novel recombinant proteins and peptides from Clonorchis sinensis and Opisthorchis viverrini for liver fluke exposure ELISA.

Human serum samples from individuals living in Vietnam and Taiwan suspected of past Clonorchis sinensis or Opisthorchis viverrini infection were screened using several novel peptides and recombinant liver fluke proteins to determine if any consistent patterns could be discerned and used as the basis for future liver fluke ELISA development. Absorbance values at 405 nm were compared to those of pooled unexposed normal human serum and analyzed for statistical significance. The data exhibited some interesting patterns consistent with egg antigen sequestration in the gut possibly leading to lower serum antibody levels and potential regional exposure differences between Vietnamese and Taiwanese subjects. In particular, antibodies against Cathepsin B and B2 peptides, as well as a partial Cahedrin Domain peptide may be elevated in some Taiwanese serum samples while antibodies against recombinant Clonorchis egg protein and Hepatocellular Carcinoma Peptide Antigen 59 may be elevated in some samples from both Taiwan and Vietnam. The data appear to suggest that some of the novel recombinant protein and peptide antigens selected and tested herein warrant further study with larger sample sizes as possible targets for detecting anti-liver fluke antibodies by ELISA from humans suspected of liver fluke infections.

Development of aptamer beacons for rapid presumptive detection of Bacillus spores.

A library of 92 DNA aptamer sequences was developed against Bacillus anthracis (nonpathogenic Sterne strain) spores and anthrose sugar immobilized on magnetic beads. The selected DNA sequences were studied for similarities and potential binding pockets between the B. anthracis spore and anthrose aptamers. Several recurring loop structures were identified and tested for their potential to act as aptamer beacons when labeled with TYE 665 dye on their 5' ends and Iowa Black quencher on their 3' ends. Of these candidate sequences, two beacons designated BAS-6F and BAS-6R emerged which gave strong fluorescence responses at high spore concentrations (greater than 30,000 spores/ml). These aptamer beacons also detect B. cereus and B. thuringiensis spores with greater fluorescence intensity, but do not strongly detect vegetative cells from an array of other bacterial species. BAS-6F and 6R are also not capable of detecting pure anthrose, thereby probably ruling that epitope out as a spore surface target for these particular beacons. While not extremely sensitive, the BAS-6F and 6R aptamer beacons are potentially valuable for rapid presumptive detection of anthrax or Bacillus spores in suspect powders or bioterrorist activity where spore concentrations are anticipated to be high. The sequence similarities of these beacons to other published Bacillus spore aptamers are also discussed.

Serum inverts and improves the fluorescence response of an aptamer beacon to various vitamin D analytes.

A dominant aptamer loop structure from a library of nearly 100 candidate aptamer sequences developed against immobilized 25-hydroxyvitamin D(3) (calcidiol) was converted into a 5'-TYE 665 and 3'-Iowa black-labelled aptamer beacon. The aptamer beacon exhibited a mild 'lights on' reaction in buffer as a function of increasing concentrations of several vitamin D analogues and metabolites, with a limit of detection of approximately 200 ng/mL, and was not specific for any particular congener. In 10% or 50% human serum, the same aptamer beacon inverted its fluorescence behaviour to become a more intense 'lights off' reaction with an improved limit of detection in the range 4-16 ng/mL. We hypothesized that this drastic change in fluorescence behaviour was due to the presence of creatinine and urea in serum, which might destabilize the quenched beacon, causing an increase in fluorescence followed by decreasing fluorescence as a function of vitamin D concentrations that may bind and quench increasingly greater fractions of the denatured beacons. However, the results of several control experiments in the presence of physiological or greater concentrations of creatinine and urea, alone or combined in buffer, failed to produce the beacon fluorescence inversion. Other possible mechanistic hypotheses are also discussed.

Syringe filter-based DNA aptamer-enzyme-linked colorimetric assay of Salmonella on lettuce.

A simpler visible colorimetric and less expensive syringe enzymatic filter-based assay (SEFA) utilizing proven anti-Salmonella DNA aptamers is described which is based on a similar previously published fluorometric version of SEFA with larger filter units. The colorimetric SEFA is applied to detection of Salmonella enterica on lettuce with detection limits of less than 1000 cfu per sample. The assay is facile, rapid, inexpensive and provides sensitive presumptive detection of S. enterica serovar Typhimurium from the surface of lettuce leaves proximal to agricultural fields.

Applications in Which Aptamers Are Needed or Wanted in Diagnostics and Therapeutics.

One strategy for bringing aptamers more into the mainstream of biomedical diagnostics and therapeutics is to exploit niche applications where aptamers are truly needed or wanted for their innate differences versus antibodies. This brief review article highlights some of those relatively rare applications in which aptamers are necessary or better suited to the user requirements than antibodies with explanations for why the aptamer is a necessary or superior choice. These situations include when no commercial antibody exists, when antibodies are excessively difficult to develop against a particular target because the target is highly toxic to host animals, when antibodies fail to discriminate closely related targets, when a smaller size is preferable to penetrate a tissue, when humanized monoclonal antibodies are too expensive and when the target is rapidly evolving or mutating. Examples of each are provided to illustrate these points.

Recent Advances and a Roadmap to Aptamer-Based Sensors for Bloodstream Infections.

The present review is intended to describe bloodstream infections (BSIs), the major pathogens responsible for BSIs, conventional tests and their limitations, commercially available methods used, and the aptamer and nanomaterials-based approaches developed so far for the detection of BSIs. The advantages associated with aptamers and the aptamer-based sensors, the comparison between the aptamers and the antibodies, and the various types of aptasensors developed so far for the detection of bloodstream infections have been described in detail in the present review. Also, the future outlook and roadmap toward aptamer-based sensors and the challenges associated with the aptamer development have also been concluded in this review.