2026-08-13 ウースター工科大学（WPI）
＜関連情報＞
- https://www.wpi.edu/news/fighting-lead-poisoning-probiotic-bacteria
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1871678424000256
核酸アプタマーは鉛（Pb(II)）毒性から保護する Nucleic acid aptamers protect against lead (Pb(II)) toxicity
Afreen Anwar, Solimar Ramis De Ayreflor Reyes, Aijaz Ahmad John, Erik Breiling, Abigail M. O’Connor, Stephanie Reis, Jae-Hyuck Shim, Ali Asghar Shah, Jagan Srinivasan, Natalie G. Farny
New Biotechnology Available online: 24 June 2024
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nbt.2024.06.004
Highlights
- Lead toxicity remains a pervasive public health problem, with limited interventions available.
- Aptamers are short single-stranded nucleic acids that bind targets including proteins, small molecules, and ions.
- Lead-binding aptamers applied to C. elegans protect the animals from lead-induced reproductive toxicity and neurotoxicity.
- Upon transfection, DNA aptamers protect primary osteoblasts from lead toxicity.
- The study represents the first demonstration of the use of an aptamer as a prophylactic to an environmental pollutant.
Abstract
Lead (Pb(II)) is a pervasive heavy metal toxin with many well-established negative effects on human health. Lead toxicity arises from cumulative, repeated environmental exposures. Thus, prophylactic strategies to protect against the bioaccumulation of lead could reduce lead-associated human pathologies. Here we show that DNA and RNA aptamers protect C. elegans from toxic phenotypes caused by lead. Reproductive toxicity, as measured by brood size assays, is prevented by co-feeding of animals with DNA or RNA aptamers. Similarly, lead-induced neurotoxicity, measured by behavioral assays, are also normalized by aptamer feeding. Further, cultured human HEK293 and primary murine osteoblasts are protected from lead toxicity by transfection with DNA aptamers. The osteogenic development, which is decreased by lead exposure, is maintained by prior transfection of lead-binding DNA aptamers. Aptamers may be an effective strategy for the protection of human health in the face of increasing environmental toxicants.
