Aptamer-Targeted PrPC Drives Colorectal Cancer Metastasis via a LYN-STAT3 Complex and Enables Liquid Biopsy Detection
A blood test detecting cancer-linked proteins on exosomes shows high accuracy for colorectal cancer, opening a non-invasive diagnostic path.
A novel aptamer (WHY-3E) targeting the cellular prion protein PrPC was developed via Cell-SELEX and demonstrated 90.6% sensitivity and 89.0% specificity for detecting PrPC-positive exosomes in CRC patient blood samples, providing a potential non-invasive liquid biopsy approach. Mechanistically, PrPC drives colorectal cancer metastasis through a LYN-STAT3 axis stabilized by USP18-mediated deubiquitination, offering dual diagnostic and therapeutic targeting potential.
What the study was
- Study design
- Translational study: Cell-SELEX aptamer development + mechanistic in vitro/in vivo + clinical validation cohort
- Population
- CRC patient cohorts for liquid biopsy validation
- Category
- Early Detection
- Maturity
- Exploratory
- Journal
- Adv Sci (Weinh)
Why it surfaced
Novel aptamer-based liquid biopsy with high sensitivity/specificity in CRC patients; dual diagnostic-therapeutic potential. Score limited by mixed human/animal design and single-center validation cohort.
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