肾细胞癌特异性核酸适体YTX-2的识别及其在早期诊断中的应用

Renal cell carcinoma (RCC), originating from renal tubular epithelial cells, represents the predominant form of kidney cancer, accounting for approximately 90% of renal malignancies. Early detection of RCC remains challenging, often leading to missed optimal treatment windows and potential metastasis. Targeted therapy utilizing unique molecular features of tumor cells, such as differential expression of membrane proteins, offers a promising alternative for precise tumor elimination while minimizing adverse effects. Aptamers, single-stranded DNA or RNA molecules capable of specific target binding, are termed "chemical antibodies" due to their advantages of easy synthesis, low cost, and minimal immunogenicity, and have been applied in cancer diagnosis and therapy. This study employed the sequence-known Swan Library to rapidly obtain the RCC-targeting aptamer YTX-2, followed by comprehensive characterization. Flow cytometry and confocal microscopy experiments demonstrated that YTX-2 could internalize into RCC cells at 37 C and specifically recognize RCC tissues. Collectively, the aptamer YTX-2 holds promise as a novel tool for early diagnosis and targeted therapy of renal cell carcinoma.