In vitro selection of an RNA aptamer yields an interleukin-6/interleukin-6 receptor interaction inhibitor

Biosci Biotechnol Biochem. 2021 Apr 24;85(5):1170-1174. doi: 10.1093/bbb/zbaa124.

Abstract

Interleukin-6 (IL-6) binds to the IL-6 receptor (IL-6R) subunit, related to autoimmune diseases and cytokine storm in COVID-19. In this study, we performed systematic evolution of ligands by exponential enrichment and identified a novel RNA aptamer. This RNA aptamer not only bound to IL-6R with a dissociation constant of 200 n m, but also inhibited the interaction of IL-6R with IL-6.

Keywords: in vitro selection; SELEX; aptamer; interleukin-6; interleukin-6 receptor.

MeSH terms

  • Aptamers, Nucleotide / chemistry
  • Aptamers, Nucleotide / therapeutic use*
  • Base Sequence
  • COVID-19 / complications
  • COVID-19 Drug Treatment*
  • Cytokine Release Syndrome / drug therapy*
  • Cytokine Release Syndrome / etiology
  • DNA, Viral / drug effects
  • Humans
  • Interleukin-6 / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • Interleukin-6 / metabolism
  • Receptors, Interleukin-6 / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • Receptors, Interleukin-6 / metabolism
  • SELEX Aptamer Technique

Substances

  • Aptamers, Nucleotide
  • DNA, Viral
  • IL6 protein, human
  • IL6R protein, human
  • Interleukin-6
  • Receptors, Interleukin-6