View in EDS

Aptamers targeting immune checkpoints for tumor immunotherapy: a comprehensive review.

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Title: Aptamers targeting immune checkpoints for tumor immunotherapy: a comprehensive review.
Authors: Gedla, Manas Kumar, Kotla, Renuka Sai Priya, Kumar, Revathy, Kamesh, Venkatesh, S, Joshua, Kamalakannan, Dhanabalan, Ramasamy, Jubilee
Source: Frontiers in Oncology; 2026, p1-26, 26p
Subject Terms: APTAMERS, IMMUNE checkpoint proteins, CANCER treatment, IMMUNOSUPPRESSION, CYTOTOXIC T lymphocyte-associated molecule-4, PROGRAMMED cell death 1 receptors, IMMUNOTHERAPY, PROGRAMMED death-ligand 1
Abstract: Tumor immunotherapy has transformed the cancer treatment paradigm by leveraging the host immune system to identify and eradicate tumor cells in the body. Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) targeting programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1), programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1), and cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated antigen 4 (CTLA-4) have achieved significant clinical success. However, major limitations, such as therapeutic resistance, immune-mediated toxicities, and high treatment costs, necessitate the development of alternative and more efficient strategies. Aptamers, short-chain single-stranded nucleic acid ligands with high binding specificity and affinity, have emerged as compelling candidates for cancer therapy due to their superior tissue penetration, reduced immunogenicity, and ease of chemical modification compared to antibody therapies. This review provides an inclusive overview of aptamer-based approaches for targeting immune checkpoints, with a specific emphasis on PD-1/PD-L1 and CTLA-4. In addition, we highlight recent advancements in the engineering of bispecific and multifunctional aptamers, their role in overcoming immune resistance, and their potential to improve therapeutic performance. We also discuss innovative approaches to enhance aptamer stability, bioavailability, and tumor-specific delivery through chemical tailoring and nanoparticle conjugation. Although most aptamer-based checkpoint inhibitors remain in preclinical stages, early phase clinical investigations (primarily with C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 12 (CXCL12)-targeting Spiegelmer NOX-A12 in combination settings, as well as earlier programs such as AS1411 targeting nucleolin) have demonstrated effective inhibition of immune checkpoint signaling, reactivation of T-cell function, and synergistic effects when combined with existing immunotherapies. Preclinical and early phase clinical investigations have demonstrated that aptamers can effectively inhibit immune checkpoint signaling, reactivate T-cell function, and potentiate synergistic effects when combined with existing immunotherapies. By critically evaluating current progress and identifying key translational challenges, this review provides strategic insights into the future development of aptamer-based immunotherapeutic platforms, ultimately guiding the advancement of more precise, cost-effective, and personalized cancer treatment modalities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of Frontiers in Oncology is the property of Frontiers Media S.A. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
Database: Complementary Index
FullText Text:
  Availability: 0
CustomLinks:
  – Url: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=search&db=pmc&term=2234-943X[TA]+AND+1[PG]+AND+2026[PDAT]
    Name: FREE - PubMed Central (ISSN based link)
    Category: fullText
    Text: Full Text
    Icon: https://imageserver.ebscohost.com/NetImages/iconPdf.gif
    MouseOverText: Check this PubMed for the article full text.
  – Url: https://resolver.ebscohost.com/openurl?sid=EBSCO:edb&genre=article&issn=2234943X&ISBN=&volume=&issue=&date=20260327&spage=1&pages=1-26&title=Frontiers in Oncology&atitle=Aptamers%20targeting%20immune%20checkpoints%20for%20tumor%20immunotherapy%3A%20a%20comprehensive%20review.&aulast=Gedla%2C%20Manas%20Kumar&id=DOI:10.3389/fonc.2026.1762902
    Name: Full Text Finder
    Category: fullText
    Text: Full Text Finder
    Icon: https://imageserver.ebscohost.com/branding/images/FTF.gif
    MouseOverText: Full Text Finder
  – Url: https://www.webofscience.com/api/gateway?GWVersion=2&SrcApp=EBSCO&SrcAuth=EBSCO&DestApp=WOS&ServiceName=TransferToWoS&DestLinkType=GeneralSearchSummary&Func=Links&author=Gedla%20MK
    Name: ISI
    Category: fullText
    Text: Nájsť tento článok vo Web of Science
    Icon: https://imagesrvr.epnet.com/ls/20docs.gif
    MouseOverText: Nájsť tento článok vo Web of Science
Header DbId: edb
DbLabel: Complementary Index
An: 192587658
RelevancyScore: 1082
AccessLevel: 6
PubType: Academic Journal
PubTypeId: academicJournal
PreciseRelevancyScore: 1082.4111328125
IllustrationInfo
Items – Name: Title
  Label: Title
  Group: Ti
  Data: Aptamers targeting immune checkpoints for tumor immunotherapy: a comprehensive review.
– Name: Author
  Label: Authors
  Group: Au
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Gedla%2C+Manas+Kumar%22">Gedla, Manas Kumar</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Kotla%2C+Renuka+Sai+Priya%22">Kotla, Renuka Sai Priya</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Kumar%2C+Revathy%22">Kumar, Revathy</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Kamesh%2C+Venkatesh%22">Kamesh, Venkatesh</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22S%2C+Joshua%22">S, Joshua</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Kamalakannan%2C+Dhanabalan%22">Kamalakannan, Dhanabalan</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Ramasamy%2C+Jubilee%22">Ramasamy, Jubilee</searchLink>
– Name: TitleSource
  Label: Source
  Group: Src
  Data: Frontiers in Oncology; 2026, p1-26, 26p
– Name: Subject
  Label: Subject Terms
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22APTAMERS%22">APTAMERS</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22IMMUNE+checkpoint+proteins%22">IMMUNE checkpoint proteins</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22CANCER+treatment%22">CANCER treatment</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22IMMUNOSUPPRESSION%22">IMMUNOSUPPRESSION</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22CYTOTOXIC+T+lymphocyte-associated+molecule-4%22">CYTOTOXIC T lymphocyte-associated molecule-4</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22PROGRAMMED+cell+death+1+receptors%22">PROGRAMMED cell death 1 receptors</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22IMMUNOTHERAPY%22">IMMUNOTHERAPY</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22PROGRAMMED+death-ligand+1%22">PROGRAMMED death-ligand 1</searchLink>
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: Tumor immunotherapy has transformed the cancer treatment paradigm by leveraging the host immune system to identify and eradicate tumor cells in the body. Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) targeting programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1), programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1), and cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated antigen 4 (CTLA-4) have achieved significant clinical success. However, major limitations, such as therapeutic resistance, immune-mediated toxicities, and high treatment costs, necessitate the development of alternative and more efficient strategies. Aptamers, short-chain single-stranded nucleic acid ligands with high binding specificity and affinity, have emerged as compelling candidates for cancer therapy due to their superior tissue penetration, reduced immunogenicity, and ease of chemical modification compared to antibody therapies. This review provides an inclusive overview of aptamer-based approaches for targeting immune checkpoints, with a specific emphasis on PD-1/PD-L1 and CTLA-4. In addition, we highlight recent advancements in the engineering of bispecific and multifunctional aptamers, their role in overcoming immune resistance, and their potential to improve therapeutic performance. We also discuss innovative approaches to enhance aptamer stability, bioavailability, and tumor-specific delivery through chemical tailoring and nanoparticle conjugation. Although most aptamer-based checkpoint inhibitors remain in preclinical stages, early phase clinical investigations (primarily with C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 12 (CXCL12)-targeting Spiegelmer NOX-A12 in combination settings, as well as earlier programs such as AS1411 targeting nucleolin) have demonstrated effective inhibition of immune checkpoint signaling, reactivation of T-cell function, and synergistic effects when combined with existing immunotherapies. Preclinical and early phase clinical investigations have demonstrated that aptamers can effectively inhibit immune checkpoint signaling, reactivate T-cell function, and potentiate synergistic effects when combined with existing immunotherapies. By critically evaluating current progress and identifying key translational challenges, this review provides strategic insights into the future development of aptamer-based immunotherapeutic platforms, ultimately guiding the advancement of more precise, cost-effective, and personalized cancer treatment modalities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
– Name: Abstract
  Label:
  Group: Ab
  Data: <i>Copyright of Frontiers in Oncology is the property of Frontiers Media S.A. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
PLink https://erproxy.cvtisr.sk/sfx/access?url=https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edb&AN=192587658
RecordInfo BibRecord:
  BibEntity:
    Identifiers:
      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.3389/fonc.2026.1762902
    Languages:
      – Code: eng
        Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 26
        StartPage: 1
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: APTAMERS
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: IMMUNE checkpoint proteins
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: CANCER treatment
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: IMMUNOSUPPRESSION
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: CYTOTOXIC T lymphocyte-associated molecule-4
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: PROGRAMMED cell death 1 receptors
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: IMMUNOTHERAPY
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: PROGRAMMED death-ligand 1
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: Aptamers targeting immune checkpoints for tumor immunotherapy: a comprehensive review.
        Type: main
  BibRelationships:
    HasContributorRelationships:
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Gedla, Manas Kumar
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Kotla, Renuka Sai Priya
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Kumar, Revathy
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Kamesh, Venkatesh
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: S, Joshua
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Kamalakannan, Dhanabalan
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Ramasamy, Jubilee
    IsPartOfRelationships:
      – BibEntity:
          Dates:
            – D: 27
              M: 03
              Text: 2026
              Type: published
              Y: 2026
          Identifiers:
            – Type: issn-print
              Value: 2234943X
          Titles:
            – TitleFull: Frontiers in Oncology
              Type: main
ResultId 1