In this work, we have developed a simple and sensitive method for ATP detection using silica nanoparticles (NPs) as the platform and hoechst33258 as the signal reporter. The ATP-binding aptamers hybridize with the probe DNA (DNA(p)) immobilized NPs to form the aptamer/DNA(p) duplex on the NPs surface. The conformational change of the aptamer leads to the decrease of the aptamer/DNA(p) duplex on...

Transcription of ribosomal RNA genes is generally accepted to correlate with cell growth. Using primary cultures of adult bovine aortic endothelial (ABAE) cells, we have shown that transcription of rDNA in confluent cells falls to 5% of the transcription level in growing cells. Protein kinase NII appears to be a limiting factor to promote rDNA transcription in isolated nuclei of confluent cells...

Aptamers have emerged as a new class of small molecule ligands. These short, single-stranded oligonucleotides can be produced through simple chemical synthesis, making them easier and less costly to produce than antibodies. We synthesized an RNA aptamer probe specific for human CD4 using a reported sequence and investigated the potential use of this probe in cell phenotyping. Studies in culture...

Conjugation of DNAs to defined locations on a protein surface will offer powerful tools for positioning functional groups and molecules in biological and biomedical studies. However, tagging protein with DNA is challenging in physiological environments, which requires a bioorthogonal approach. Here we report a chemical solution to selectively conjugate DNA aptamer with a protein by protein-apta...

Systematic evolution of ligands by exponential enrichment (SELEX) is an established procedure for developing short single-stranded nucleic acid ligands called aptamers against a target of choice. This approach has also been used for developing aptamers specific to whole cells named Cell-SELEX. Aptamers selected by Cell-SELEX have the potential to act as cell specific therapeutics, cell specific...

RATIONALE Autoantibodies directed against the beta1-adrenoceptor (beta1-AABs) have been proposed to drive the pathogenesis of idiopathic dilated cardiomyoparthy (DCM), Chagas' cardiomyopathy, and peripartum cardiomyopathy. For disease treatment, aptamers that bind and neutralize beta1-AABs could be significant. OBJECTIVE We determined whether oligonucleotide-aptamers, selected to target human...

Angiotensin II (Ang II) is a key proapoptotic factor in fibrotic tissue diseases. However, the mechanism of Ang-II-induced cell death in endothelial cells has not been previously elucidated. Using the neutral comet assay and specific receptor antagonists and agonists, we found that Ang-II-mediated apoptosis in primary pulmonary endothelial cells required the AT2 receptor. Ang II caused cytochro...