Organ-on-a-Chip: The Future of Therapeutic Aptamer Research?

The aptamer, known as a chemical antibody, has proven to be of high diagnostic and therapeutic value with the FDA’s first aptamer drug in 2004 and many aptamers under clinical validation. However, the clinical translation of aptamer for therapeutics has been delayed because of the limitation of using the target model during selection and a lack of information on several crucial factors, including their inherent physicochemical characterization and safety, and the function. Three-dimensional (3D) structure tissue provides proof of in-depth functionality due to their maturity and 3D complexity, enabling them to get information on the natural structure of the target for human treatment. The organ-on-a-chip integrates microfluidic technology with 3D cell culture that possesses in vivo-like tissue-based models that have been engineered for validation to transform the commercial drug discovery. Thus, the organ-on-a-chip may offer a promising solution for the addressed problems, enhancing the clinical translation procedure for aptamer-based therapeutics. Motivated by the advantageous function of the aptamer-based organ-on-a-chip system, we update the current technology to generate aptamers using SELEX (Systematic Evolution of Ligands by EXponential Enrichment) and confirm the application of aptamers to various long-term treatments. We can also accurately analyze the advantages of organ-on-a-chips and present the necessity of developing aptamer-based organ-on-a-chip systems. In this regard, the aptamer-based organ-on-a-chip is expected to increase the possibility of creating an aptamer as a therapeutic agent by more accurately selecting and verifying the aptamer that affects specific organ treatment.