Self-assembled, bivalent aptamers on graphene oxide as an efficient anticoagulant

Biomater Sci. 2018 Jun 25;6(7):1882-1891. doi: 10.1039/c8bm00288f.

Abstract

Graphene oxide (GO) has unique structural properties, can effectively adsorb single-strand DNA through π-π stacking, hydrogen bonding and hydrophobic interactions, and is useful in many biotechnology applications. In this study, we developed a thrombin-binding-aptamers (15- and 29-mer) conjugated graphene oxide (TBA15/TBA29-GO) composite for the efficient inhibition of thrombin activity towards the formation of fibrin from fibrinogen. The TBA15/TBA29-GO composite was simply obtained by the self-assembly of TBA15/TBA29 hybrids on GO. The high density and appropriate orientation of TBA15/TBA29 on the GO surface enabled TBA15/TBA29-GO to acquire an ultrastrong binding affinity for thrombin (dissociation constant = 2.9 × 10-12 M). Compared to bivalent TBA15h20A20/TBA29h20A20 hybrids, the TBA15/TBA29-GO composite exhibited a superior anticoagulant potency (ca. 10-fold) against thrombin-mediated coagulation as a result of steric blocking effects and a higher binding affinity for thrombin. In addition, the prolonged thrombin clotting time, prothrombin time (PT), and activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) of TBA15/TBA29-GO were at least 2 times longer than those of commercially available drugs (heparin, argatroban, hirudin, and warfarin). The in vitro cytotoxicity and hemolysis analyses revealed the high biocompatibility of TBA15/TBA29-GO. The rat-tail bleeding assay of the hemostasis time and ex vivo PT and aPTT further revealed that TBA15/TBA29-GO is superior (>2-fold) to heparin, which is commonly used in the treatment and prevention of thrombotic diseases. Our multivalent, oligonucleotide-modified GO nanocomposites are easy to prepare, cost-effective, and highly biocompatible and they show great potential as effective anticoagulants for the treatment of thrombotic disorders.

MeSH terms

  • Adsorption
  • Animals
  • Anticoagulants / chemical synthesis
  • Anticoagulants / pharmacology*
  • Aptamers, Nucleotide / chemical synthesis*
  • Aptamers, Nucleotide / metabolism
  • Arginine / analogs & derivatives
  • Binding, Competitive
  • Blood Coagulation / drug effects*
  • DNA, Single-Stranded / chemistry*
  • DNA, Single-Stranded / metabolism
  • Graphite / chemistry*
  • Heparin / pharmacology
  • Hirudins / pharmacology
  • Humans
  • Hydrogen Bonding
  • Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions
  • Male
  • Oxides
  • Pipecolic Acids / pharmacology
  • Protein Binding
  • Rats
  • Rats, Sprague-Dawley
  • Sulfonamides
  • Thrombin / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • Thrombin / pharmacology

Substances

  • Anticoagulants
  • Aptamers, Nucleotide
  • DNA, Single-Stranded
  • Hirudins
  • Oxides
  • Pipecolic Acids
  • Sulfonamides
  • Graphite
  • Heparin
  • Arginine
  • Thrombin
  • argatroban